The First Cut Is The Deepest
by Basmathgirl
Summary: Crossover with Broadchurch. When D.I. Hardy and a post-EoT Donna Noble meet they are amazed where you can find a friend; a special friend. Rated M for safety.
1. The First Cut Is The Deepest

**Disclaimer:** the nearest I am to owning these is paying my licence fee.  
**A/N:** if every single character David Tennant plays can be paired with someone else, why not with Catherine Tate? He is currently playing D.I. Alec Hardy in a murder mystery called "Broadchurch" btw.  
**A/N2:** I was asked if I'd be producing fic for a picture of David and Catherine I made... and guess what happened! Hee hee

* * *

**The First Cut Is The Deepest**

.

DI Hardy sighed in exasperation as he sat down on the cliff top bench and looked out to sea. Somewhere out there lay the answer, he was sure of it.

"Excuse me. Can you tell me the time, please?" a female voice asked him from a point behind his left ear.

He turned and wondered, "Why are you bloody asking me?" His tone was far too angry for a general enquiry, so he amended his words. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude."

She smirked back at him when he made no attempt to answer her question. He didn't even make a show of looking at his watch; she found that quite telling. "I asked because if you want to know the time, ask a policeman," she tritely replied.

"What makes you think I'm a policeman?" he countered. Did he have a neon light over his head now?

"In the same way I know I'm not." She triumphantly grinned and then walked forward before plonking herself down onto the empty space on the bench beside him. "Just in case you were wondering if I'm stalking you, I overheard you introduce yourself to the bloke in the paper shop."

"Oh," he breathed in relief, and then peered at her. There was something familiar… "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Nah!" she answered after hesitating. She had just deliberately lied, and he knew it, judging by the expression on his face. "I've got one of those faces that seems familiar and blends easily into the crowd."

"No, I'd remember you," he said as he carefully considered her. One thing he would definitely have noticed in a crowd was the colour of her shoulder length hair; a rich, ginger shade. It was unusual and striking.

"And yet you have no idea who I am," she re-joined in amusement. "Anyway, I can't sit about chatting here all day. Good luck finding that missing dog," she wished him as she stood up.

"I wasn't looking for a missing dog," he petulantly contradicted.

"I know." A cheeky smile was shot in his direction as she sauntered off, unfazed by his attitude.

He watched the woman walk away, and made mental notes about her possible identity. Long ginger hair worn loose stated that she didn't have to worry about performing menial tasks; plus her makeup was carefully applied to look as natural as possible. She was of a similar age to him yet her hands were bare of any wedding ring, however he suspected that hadn't always been the case. Her clothing had been fairly nondescript; a green padded jacket, and dark blue jeans, worn with fashionable wellington boots. But the quality of her clothing was designer label to his trained eye, despite her appearance straining to be otherwise.

Why would she want to be less than she was? That intrigued him. Could she be travelling incognito? A millionaire pretending to be one of the people, or possibly one of those rich girls that loved to slum it? It wasn't exactly unknown. Her accent certainly teetered on the edge of mockney; not quite middle class and not cockney.

If he had to choose a name for her he would probably decide on… Melissa. She looked like a Melissa. Perhaps she had married money? There wasn't a moneyed air about her.

A grin appeared briefly on his features when he caught sight of her in the distance. She had certainly distracted his thoughts away from his anxieties for some welcome minutes. For that he would be grateful.

* * *

The next time he saw her was as he walked into the Hampton Hotel on the outskirts of Broadchurch. For a moment he did not recognise her because she was dressed immaculately in creamy coral coloured clothing that complemented her hair and complexion superbly. Her dress and matching coat were knee length; and were worn with matching shoes and handbag. Even her nail polish matched. This was a woman who took care of the little details in life.

She was walking passed and away from the reception desk when the receptionist called out, "Excuse me, Ms Noble, but there was a message for you!"

She turned, wafting expensive perfume in her wake, as she stretched out to take the envelope; and she flashed the receptionist a beautiful smile in gratitude. "Thank you, Claire. And could you book me a table for tonight, about 6.30 if you can?"

"Certainly," the person who was now identified as Claire beamed back.

As she turned back to head towards what he assumed to be her room, the previously unknown woman caught a glimpse of him standing dumbstruck within the entrance to the foyer and gave him a small nod of recognition. "Hello," she murmured politely and started to resume her journey.

"Ms Noble!" he called out against his better judged.

But it worked. She stopped walking away from him and gazed at him quizzically.

"Yes, Inspector Hardy, wasn't it? What can I do for you?" she wondered.

He strode up, not speaking again until he was directly in front of her. "May I have a word in private?" he requested.

She shot the receptionist a nervous glance. Obviously she was wondering what she had done wrong for a few milliseconds before dismissing the idea as being feasible. "Certainly, where would you like me?"

Was it him or was there a certain gleam in her eye? It sounded like a possible innuendo to his ears; but then again, he might be pushing his wish fulfilment onto this scenario. "We could talk in the bar or in your room. Wherever you feel more comfortable," he suggested; placing the ball in her court, just to see what her reaction would be.

She seemed to think it over for a couple of seconds, and then she smiled a sweetly fake smile at him. "I think, for your sake, it had better be the bar," she breathily replied, speaking barely above a whisper.

And then she swept away from him.

He quickly followed to find her ordering drinks for them already from the barman. "Place it on my room bill. Room 328," she told him confidently.

Obviously she was used to giving out orders, Hardy noted; and then sat on the padded seat opposite her when she beckoned him over to a table.

"Is this a professional visit?" she asked as he adjusted the cloth on the knees of his trousers to sit more comfortably.

"I can make it so," he offered. "Where were you on the morning of the 17th last month?"

She smirked back at him as the barman appeared with a teapot, a jug of fresh milk, sugar and two teacups on a tray. "Thank you," she said before returning her attention to her guest. "At Gatwick Airport, going to a meeting in Helsinki," she told Hardy. "But I can give you a suitable alibi if you like."

"What?!" he blurted out before realising it; and she openly laughed at his shocked face.

"I take it you don't need to tell your wife that you were with your girlfriend then," she assumed with some amusement.

"I don't have a wife anymore, or a girlfriend come to that," he admitted; although he did not understand why he was telling her this.

"Really? Poor you!" she crooned at him, and began to pour out the tea. "Would you like me to find you one?"

"No thanks, I'll just take the tea," he testily answered as he accepted the offered cup.

"Then why did you follow me, Inspector?" she asked bluntly.

"I didn't follow you," he denied.

She snorted her scorn. "This is you not following me," she remarked gesturing towards his seated form. "You'll have to tell me eventually why you are sitting here drinking tea with me. You might as well tell me now."

"I just…," he started to explain and halted. "I spotted you and thought I'd find out more."

"There you go," she calmly commented, and stirred her tea before sipping it carefully. "I knew you'd tell me. What exactly did you want to know? Have you figured out why I'm familiar yet?"

"Erm… no," he confessed.

"Oh dear, this isn't very good for my ego." She then laughed a small tinkling laugh as she mocked herself. "I'm Donna Temple-Noble, or rather was. I help run a children's charity."

He sunk back in his seat as he relaxed more. "Oh yes! Now I remember you!" He grinned triumphantly. "You provided information for the Westcourt case I was on."

"Information is my forte," she re-joined proudly. "My favourite days are when we provide the right sort so that children are reunited with the people who love them."

"It must be depressing to deal with runaways all the time though," he commented.

"About as much as dealing with murders, I should think," she replied, "and we all run away from something." She then paused as she drank her tea. "What am I allowed to know about you?" she impishly wondered.

"There's nothing to tell," he immediately insisted.

"Oh I think there is," she disagreed. "For instance, this is almost a date and you haven't told me your first name."

"Haven't I?" His tone was a falsely surprised one. "I don't like the name Alec so I prefer to be called Hardy."

"Most people would have made a name up. Or do you fancy yourself as more of an Inspector Morse?" Donna pondered, and finished drinking her tea. "Am I keeping you from your duties, Inspector Hardy?"

"I see I've gone back to merely being a policeman in your eyes," he commented.

"Well, if you don't even trust me to use your name…" She then stuttered and went rather glassy-eyed. "Names are powerful things when spoken." She quickly shook herself as a blush crept up her face. "I do apologise; I don't know what came over me. I'd better go and lie down for a while." As she stood up she said, "Thank you for taking tea with me."

Hardy stood too, and thrust out his hand in offering to shake hers. "Thank you Ms Noble for the chat."

She found herself automatically shaking his hand, and was impressed with how smooth and gentle his hands were as she was held within his grasp. "Anytime you feel like another chat, Inspector Hardy, come and follow me again," Donna offered.

"If I were to do so, is it likely you would be found in this hotel in the next couple of days? Like, say, this evening around seven o'clock?" Hardy questioned her. To his delight she giggled.

"There's nothing wrong with your hearing, I take it." She smirked at him. "I'll be staying here until Thursday, when I return to London; unless you can provide a reason for me to stay longer. If you have no plans for dinner, why don't you come and eat with me? I'm sure they can find an extra chair for my table. "

"Do you have guests?" he cautiously wondered.

She leaned in to whisper into his ear, "It would be just me… and you; if you'll care to join me."

"That would be lovely," he answered, eager to see how she would tease him next.

The slow sly grin he expected appeared on her face.

"I don't mind how you dress, but I will expect you to be punctual for 6.30. If that's a problem I may have to punish you," she breathily told him. "Now I have to go to bed and you can join me later."

Later? Did she mean her bed, or was she referring to more innocent pursuits. The teasing leer he got as she glided away fuelled his curiosity and his interest. Who cared? That was a treat to be discovered later that day. For now he could run all the possibilities through his head; once he had questioned the occupant of room 36 thoroughly.

* * *

It was as Hardy left room 36 to make his way back to the station and sign off from his shift that he smelt her perfume again. He had only taken a step down on the staircase when a voice called out to him.

"I was hoping you'd still be here," came the cry from someone leaning over the bannister above him.

Hardy looked up and saw Donna standing there, regarding him with interest. "Hello Ms Noble. Were you waiting to tell me something?" he asked, even though that wasn't the question running in his head.

She smirked down at him. "You could say that. Why don't you come up?"

She then moved away from the bannister before he could answer. So he changed direction, and started to bound up the stairs two steps at a time; until he came to the same landing she was standing on, waiting for his arrival. She certainly seemed to know how to get him to follow her without question.

"Seeing as you've come running, I'd better make us some tea," she commented when he stood catching his breath and pretending that he didn't need to do so.

As expected, she turned and walked down the adjoining corridor as though he would be hard on her heels; which he was. She led him into a fairly large sized room and made her way over to the kettle sitting on the counter top and switched it on. Sitting beside it were two cups and the usual accoutrements for making tea and coffee. "Do you want anything with your tea?" she calmly offered him. "And sit yourself down, please," she quickly added when she realised he was still standing somewhat self-consciously a few feet away from her. She indicated towards the two mismatched chairs standing by the window.

He politely took the less comfortable looking desk chair and left the tub chair for her to sit in. She smiled her gratitude as she brought over their cups. "Sorry, they only have that horrid UHT milk and the choice of biscuits was shortcake."

"That's okay," he replied as he took his offered cup from her hand. He then joked, "We mustn't keep meeting for tea like this. People will talk."

A small laugh burst from her lips. "Idle talk always happens around me. I suppose I ought to have warned you about that."

"I can cope," he confidently assured her.

"Oh yes, I forgot," she remarked as she thoughtfully regarded him. "You've been on television making appeals to the public."

"Once or twice," he confirmed.

They both sipped their tea.

"I don't normally do this," he confided suddenly.

A frown briefly appeared on her face. "Which part of 'this' don't you normally do? And why do I get the impression I won't like the answer?"

"Oh no, it's nothing like that," he said to quell her fears. "I don't normally sit and take tea in the afternoon with a friend, albeit a brand new friend in your case."

"Are you lacking friends or tea in your life," she wondered.

"Hmm." He sat and thought then how best to reveal his current lonely state. "There's plenty of tea in my life."

"Then I did the right thing," she proclaimed.

His tea cup halted halfway to his mouth. "Right thing? You make me sound…" Hardy screwed his face up in disgust.

But Donna sat there unfazed. "Is it wrong to speak to people you think will be interesting? Who have a quality that you know you could help with?"

He stood up, anger flaring in him. How dare she make him sound like a charity case?!

Before he could even utter his contempt, she was standing by his side, reaching out to touch his arm; partly to retain him, and partly in consolation. Her voice and manner were of someone approaching an injured animal, which normally would have enraged him even more, but her words stopped him from retreating.

"I'm sorry I've offended you, but you remind me so much of a friend I once had. You have the same mannerisms, the same soulful eyes; so I assumed you have the same guilty feelings held deep within you. And I know you're hiding your pain, right here." She tenderly placed a hand on his torso over the worse of his pain. "I don't know how, but I know you are hiding so much more than your physical pain, cutting yourself off by using your need to get things done." Realising that she had his full attention, she carried on, "Most of all, I know you need a friend, and I'm offering to be that. It's one of the few things I am good at."

"Why me?" he hoarsely asked, shocked by this encounter and the spell she was weaving over him.

A fond smile spread over her face. "Because you deserve to have a friend," she answered.

"I don't," he countered. He was mesmerised by her movements as her hands fluttered in front of him before smoothing a course up his arms; her eyes steadily fixed on his.

When her hands reached his head, for one moment he thought she was going to land on his temples, but she retracted them to land on his shoulders instead. Her comforting smile drew him in, and he wrapped his arms around her waist; pulling her closer, until their bodies touched. A pulse of energy passed between them; the feeling was indescribable, but he knew he didn't want to let go. She had suddenly become his anchor in a stormy sea; his safe harbour; and he wanted to luxuriate in its comfort.

It was so easy to lean forward and rest his head on her shoulder, let her encase him within her embrace, and accept the deep hug that he willingly took. How long had it been since someone had hugged him? Far too long, and he was starving from such neglect.

When she began to caress and stroke his hair, he was unable to stop himself from burrowing further into her embrace. This was what returning to home was like; and he was loathe to leave.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled apologetically after some moments; ashamed of his weakness and need for physical comfort.

"Don't be," she whispered into his ear. "There's no need to be; not with me."

"But Donna…" He lifted his head to protest otherwise and found her lips within centimetres of his own. Would they offer the same comfort as the rest of her body? There was only one way to find out, so he crossed the gap between them and pressed their mouths together.

He landed on soft, pliable lips that moved beneath his own in encouraging sweeps. A warm glow began to fill his body. Breaking from their kiss, he dreamily wondered, "Are you a witch?"

"Some seem to think that," she playfully admitted. "What sort of magic would you like me to use?"

"Get me away from here."

His hard features told her all she needed to know in order to help him. His soul was crying out for release; to express his pain. There would be nowhere he could happily live until he did.

"Let's see what I can do," she murmured as she eased back into another kiss.

The only sound that escaped from them was gasps for breath as they hungrily kissed one another. They quickly moved on to open mouthed kisses, tasting and teasing each other with their tongues.

As passion built between them, his hands moved down to cup her bottom, urging her to grind on his lower torso and feel his arousal. She knew where this would lead if she let it, if she took that leap of faith that her mind had told her was necessary and her body was screaming out for. It had been a long time for her, since she had last made love with someone. She suspected it been an awfully long time for him too.

Kiss after desperate kiss they shared. She wondered why she felt this deep-seated desire for him, why she needed him so much; it was more than a gut instinct that called out to her. It was as if she were offering herself as a sacrifice to her own personal god; that by giving in to this attraction she would end so many hardships. It was an offering she was more than willing to make.

But not now. This was neither the right time nor the right place. A tryst in a hotel bedroom was so passé it was ridiculous! To give in made her little more than a tart, and she was so much more than that.

Weaving a hand between them, she pushed them apart. Hardy found himself completely flabbergasted about why she had separated them when things were getting interesting.

"Is there a problem?" He tried desperately to keep his voice on an even keel rather than express the deep hurt he felt.

She smoothed a consoling hand over his shoulder. "The problem is me, I'm afraid. I'm liable to use you in a way that is unthinkable."

"Why?" he forced himself to ask.

Donna placed a kiss on his jaw before answering honestly, "I'll come clean with you. As I'm no spring chicken, I want to have a baby before it's too late, and I need a daddy donor. In particular, I want you to be the daddy donor; so I'd like you to think about it."

Now he had NOT expected that to come out of her mouth! "Are you bloody mad?" he wondered.

She shook her head. "No, merely desperate; but I don't want to force fatherhood on you. Something tells me that can have fatal consequences. But let me know if you are willing to help me. If not, then…" She shrugged her shoulders. "You can still join me for dinner later and there'll be more when we have time. Should you want it, of course?"

He felt as though he was bathed in warmth as she smiled at him. This was an experience in this godforsaken place that he was more than willing to repeat. "Just name your day," he tried to say enigmatically.

That gained a tinkling laugh. "I have to go back to London, remember. But that doesn't mean you can't come with me. What do you say, Alec?"

It was the first time she had actually used his name, and he found that he rather liked the way she said it. "Throw in a cup of tea and I'm yours."

Hmm. Now that sounded really promising; to both of them. This was a relationship that had potential.

* * *

**A/N3:** you will find an extended, more adult, version of this on AO3.

**A/N4:** I've decided to lump all 8 parts together rather than posting them separately (at least I think I'm stopping at 8).


	2. The Second Cut Is Slower

**Fandom:** Doctor Who/Broadchurch

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, Ellie Miller, OC (mentions Shaun Temple)

**Warning**: this does assume that you watched the beginning of episode 7, shown on Monday night. Then again, this might suddenly turn into AU after next week's episode.

**Summary:** In a sequel to The First Cut Is The Deepest, Donna starts to despair that DI Alec Hardy isn't quite as special as she first thought he was. But they are destined to meet again.

**Disclaimer:** nope, not mine. I'm just having fun here.

**A/N:** I'm obviously a sucker for requests to continue things – yeah, like I didn't want to! ;D

**A/N2:** I have **Michael Dark** to thank for giving me a certain perspective with this first part.

* * *

**The Second Cut Is Slower**

.

It was at 6.30pm precisely that Donna arrived in the hotel foyer and made her way into the restaurant. The attending waiter showed her instantly to her booked table, but there was no sign of Hardy.

She swept her gaze again over the sparsely filled restaurant as she sat down, to no avail. He wasn't there; and assuming he had taken her punctuality warning to heart, he wasn't going to be either.

With a despondent sigh, Donna resigned herself to the fact that he wasn't interested; in both her and her proposal. It wasn't as though he was the first man to have ever turned her down, or the first man to have fought off her advances, but she was hurt by the fact that he was the first man that had seemed genuinely keen to take things further. Not that she normally went around propositioning men to become the father of her future child. In fact he was the only one, if you didn't take Shaun into account; and in that moment she really would rather not.

With a sniff as she perused the menu, she wondered what he was up to. It had been a while since she had seen Shaun, let alone actually bothered to speak to him.

They were just different people, destined to fail in their marriage once that lottery ticket had been cashed in and the money had flowed like the expensive wine they had treated themselves to. Soon his attentiveness and sweetness had started to grate on her nerves. Yes, he had loved her, in his own way; but no, he hadn't adored her passionately, and that was what she had really wanted.

Using a snort of scorn as she considered the faults of her marriage, she had to admit that he hadn't even put himself out to kiss her on her wedding day. What bride and groom didn't kiss as they left the church? Well, her and Shaun, evidently. The writing had clearly been on the wall. She had spent her time showing off her wedding ring to the photographer and Shaun had mentally buggered off.

It had been in her periphery vision, as she flashed her wedding ring, that she had caught sight of Gramps' friend John Smith. Hadn't it been nice of him to show up like that? She had made a mental note to go up and thank him once the wedding photos were done; but he had gone before she could. Oh well. Perhaps she'd get the chance one day.

Tapping an irritated finger nail on the tablecloth in front of her, Donna also wondered if she would ever get the chance to ask Hardy what changed his mind about meeting her. Logic told her there were two basic reasons why he hadn't appeared; he didn't want to, or he couldn't. If it was the latter then there had been a sudden rise in the local crime rate, and he had been called in from being off duty. That's if Broadchurch actually had a crime rate to speak of in hushed circles. It wasn't impossible; just a bit unlikely.

Bugger! There was another headache threatening with that thought. She really didn't fancy eating much now. "I'll just have the soup of the day, please," Donna told the waiter when he returned to her side at that instance.

It was a lonely meal as she sat and consumed her soup as daintily as she could, with only her thoughts for company. And they weren't very good company that evening. Hiding the deep sigh that wanted to escape her lips, she signed the bill and hastily headed back to her room to lie down whilst watching some television.

* * *

DI Alec Hardy was driving along with DS Ellie Miller early the following morning when he spotted a cascade of ginger hair on a woman who had just finished filling her car up with petrol. He slowed to check, and then turned into the filling station when he recognised the woman to be Donna.

"Where are we going?" Ellie demanded to know.

"I have a contact I need to speak to," he testily explained as he parked the car; choosing a position that would stop Donna driving away without him getting the chance to talk to her.

"Since when have you known people to have as contacts?" Ellie queried in disbelief.

But Hardy was determined not to answer that one. "Stay here!" he ordered as he stepped out of the car.

If he was quick he could catch Donna before she returned to her car, he thought. As it was, he got his wish, because she had paid and was turning away from the cashier when she spotted him. He waited by the shop entrance, standing deliberately so that she would have to talk to him, Ellie wouldn't be able to see his face in order to read his lips, and he hid any response Donna gave from observation.

"Hello, Inspector Hardy," she cagily greeted him. "Is that your wife with you?" she asked to rile him.

"She's my partner; Sergeant Miller; and she's married to someone else. We are not involved in any way, before you ask," he brusquely supplied.

Donna merely remarked, "She looked annoyed with you, whoever she is."

"It's normally mutual," he admitted; and gained a small smile. "About last night…"

She immediately interrupted him, "It's okay; you don't need to explain your absence." A wave of her hand followed to dismiss anything he might say. "I saw on the news that there has been an aggravated robbery that might have captured your interest. I also know that you have a mobile phone with my number on it, that you obviously didn't ring; so I'm under no illusions." There was a very slight pause as she took a deep, calming breath. "But I assume you have stopped me to speak business, and I do have information for you."

"You do?" he asked before he could stop himself. He had meant to offer an apology, beg forgiveness, and do anything she wanted; but his professional side came to the fore to mess things up.

"Yes, I recognised him from our files. I never forget a face or data these days. Well, not if you don't count… Anyway, the suspect is a runaway boy from Guilford. And I double checked his name when I saw the CCTV footage. He is Brett Williams, and he is very easily led into criminal activities."

She watched as Hardy drew out his notebook and wrote that down. He looked up at her expectantly. "Will he be on our files?"

There was a nod of confirmation. "His parents reported him missing to the police two months ago."

"Thank you, Ms Noble, for your help," he replied as he noted Miller had climbed out of the car and was standing a few feet away. "I may have to come back to you about… something else later."

Donna flicked her gaze to where Ellie stood. "I'll leave that up to you. You have the necessary details. Goodbye Inspector Hardy." She then sidestepped passed him and headed towards her car, giving a respectful nod to Ellie. "Sergeant."

"How did she get a car like that?" Ellie asked in awe as she saw Donna drive off in her expensive Mercedes.

"That was the former Donna Temple-Noble," Hardy told her as he opened his own car door.

"Really?!" Ellie exclaimed; her interest piqued as she got into his car. "The one from the charity? What's she doing hanging around here? I'm sure I saw her the other day when we were in Weymouth Road. How do you know her, sir?"

"She's doing her job of supplying information," he merely answered, and started up the car. "Let's get back to what we were doing."

Ellie frowned at him as she realised that there was yet another mystery about him to solve.

* * *

Barely any time had passed after Donna had finished consulting the menu for her evening meal when her phone rang. It wasn't exactly unusual for her to receive calls at inconvenient times, but the caller was a rarity: it was DI Alec Hardy calling her.

"Hello, Donna Noble speaking," she answered in clipped business tones.

"Hello Donna, it's me, Hardy. Can I come and talk to you? I have some explaining to do," he almost pleaded.

Despite her hurt feelings, she did have an agenda she wanted to follow through, so what harm could it do to hear his side of things? Plus, he sounded awfully depressed on the phone. "Okay, you can come to my room."

There was a heavy sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. "I'll be there within the next half hour."

"Hardy?" she suddenly thought to ask. "Have you eaten yet?" What? It wasn't as though the man looked as though he got enough to eat, so she felt duty bound to make sure he was feeding himself correctly.

"No, I thought I'd grab a sandwich from somewhere," he confessed.

"One of those listeria laden things from a dodgy shop, no doubt," she sarcastically scoffed. "Be here within fifteen minutes and you can share a meal with me here in the restaurant."

"I couldn't…." he began to politely decline.

"I'll see you in ten," she stated, and shut her phone off before he could refuse. She then turned to the waiter to tell him, "I've got a guest coming within the next ten minutes. I'll have the chicken, and he'll have that too."

"Thank you, madam," the waiter replied; and hastily returned from placing the order to set her table for another person.

Hardy was slightly miffed that he would have to give his explanation in a public place, but his stomach was grumbling, and quite honestly, he was starving! So he ended up joining Donna at her table quite eagerly. He wasn't even upset when she told him she had ordered for the two of them. Was this what it was like to be a woman on a date? That's if this actually could be classed as a date. It felt a bit like being granted an audience.

Fortunately as he sat down their meals arrived, saving him from having to do much more than greet her formally.

His expression was that of a pained man. Donna immediately told him, "Don't mind me; tuck in! You look as though you need it."

He didn't need second telling to pick up his cutlery and start eating, doing with gusto and deep enjoyment. "Ooh, this is wonderful! Good choice," he complimented her.

"I thought you'd like it," she smugly stated. My, it was amusing to watch him attack his food like a starving man. Did he approach everything in the same manner? That brought a slight blush to her cheeks, so she quickly hid it by sipping her glass of wine. "I hope you also like the wine I chose."

"I'm sure I will," he agreed, giving her a faint smile when he looked up from concentrating heavily on his plate. "I wanted to apologise for earlier, when we were on the petrol station forecourt. Miller can be very nosy, and constantly asks me questions; ones that I don't want to answer."

So he refused to call his sergeant by her first name, eh? That was interesting, but not unexpected. "Keeping a professional distance from colleagues is very important; makes things safer," she approved. "It also stops some of them from actually liking you," she then teased him.

The small response from him confirmed that was his intention; the poor bloke. Her need to comfort him started to overwhelm her again, so she distracted herself by fiddling with her napkin before she whispered, "If you are here to just make an apology and then bugger off, I'd appreciate knowing that right now. Otherwise, any other apology can be made up in my room in private."

He gulped self-consciously as he finished the last mouthfuls on his plate. "I would like the private option, please," he mumbled back.

Relief flooded her. Thank goodness this could be salvaged. "Would you like something else to eat first?" she offered.

The sight of the dessert trolley sitting nearby was far too tempting to answer 'no', so somewhat reluctantly, he answered, "I think I have room for a slice of something."

Donna couldn't help thinking he probably had room for the whole thing, but she kept that to herself. "Do you fancy a tart?" she asked cheekily.

"Only in special circumstances," he coolly replied, and risked reaching out a hand to take hers. "Right now, I fancy something very sophisticated with lots of layers to bite through, full of creamy goodness."

Wow! Who knew he could come out with something like that? "Then your wish will be my command," she breathily promised. This evening was getting better and better by the minute.

Shame they had to actually eat food first, she thought.

Hardy playfully answered her promise, "About that…wish…" He sobered, and looked adorably shy for a moment before determination replaced it. "If I become the father of your child, I would want complete visiting and access rights. I'm already missing out on my daughter."

Of course Donna knew all this; it had been part of her extensive research. She had done it partly to talk herself out of asking him, and partly to convince herself what a wise choice her heart had made when it had honed in on him that fateful day when she had spotted him from afar.

"I'm sorry," she softly consoled him, and involuntarily rubbed her thumb across his knuckles. Somewhere deep inside her she empathised completely. "That must be terrible for you. I would make sure you saw our child any time that is remotely possible. My dad was the saving grace in my life, so I'd hate for them to miss out on knowing you."

"Thank you," Hardy murmured gratefully. He gave her hand a squeeze in acknowledgement. "You don't think you could tell my daughter that, do you?" he half joked.

"Let me meet her and I'd do more than that, if you like," she readily offered. "How old is she?"

A flash of pain appeared. "Fifteen."

This was a painful topic for him; that was all too evident. "Ah," Donna gasped knowingly. "That's a horrible age for your parents to be apart. No doubt you are held up as a terrible person in her eyes."

"Tell me about it," he almost whispered.

"If it's any consolation, when her mum has gained a new boyfriend, your daughter will suddenly find you are wonderful once more. I've seen it happen time and time again. Unless you are a complete and utter prat, of course," she ended on a tease to lighten his mood.

"Do you think I am?" he asked, with more than a touch of vulnerability.

"No, definitely not," she said sincerely. "I don't think people are always aware what your motives are, but you are not, at heart, a prat. I wouldn't be here if you were."

That gained her a broad grin that transformed his face from borderline handsome to breathtakingly gorgeous.

Hardy couldn't believe his luck that he had found such an understanding person to play a part in his life. Not only did he find her beautiful on the outside, but her soul was beautiful too. "So you were offering me something good and delicious," he considered, as he turned to look at the dessert trolley again. "Why don't you choose for me?"

"Okay. But you will have to make a choice of your own when we go upstairs," she replied, grinning with delight. Things were finally going to plan.

* * *

They had stood close to each as the lift ascended to her floor, but didn't make a move beyond gliding their hands passed each other. It all added a certain frisson to the moment. If she had deliberately sashayed down the corridor as she led the way to her room, that wasn't so bad, was it? It paid to put on a show, after all.

And this time she had made sure she was completely prepared for him; for almost any request. Now what name should she call him by? No suitable nickname came to mind, but he did rather hate his real one…

As the room door swung silently shut behind them, she asked him, "What exactly were you going to tell me, Inspector Hardy?"

Hardy stood stunned for a moment. How should he reply? He had come to see her for so many reasons. One of them was because he was feeling decidedly lonely, and she had offered somewhere comforting to relieve him of that. Plus, there was the fact that, as one of the officers had described such a situation; he was 'on a promise'. Not that he approved of that label. Donna had made herself sexually available to him, had laid out her reasons, was clearly attracted to him, and was unabashed about it all.

There was also the other matter of him finding her incredibly sexy. As she stood before him with the light filtering in from the window behind her, lighting up her hair with all the elements of the setting sun, there was no other way of describing her except beautiful! He thought she was utterly beautiful; and he couldn't wait to possess her. Not that Donna Noble seemed to allow anyone to possess her; instead it was a case of pretending she could be possessed. If anything, he was the one being possessed in that moment as she wove her spell upon him. All he knew was that he wanted her, and not on a temporary basis.

"I was called out last night, you were right about that," he admitted. "As for my phone, I… I was constantly in the company of Miller; and I wanted to call you so badly, but I… I didn't want to say anything in front of her. Not when we are so new, and this is all so personal."

"I see," Donna allowed herself to say. But hope blossomed that she had not chosen the wrong person. He had not been the idle choice she had made him sound when she had lain out her plan the previous day. She had been looking for the right man for ages, and as soon as she had spotted him the other day she had felt she had finally found the right one. Of course she had sought out information on him online. Who wouldn't if they had the means? But nothing there had deterred her. It could have been dismissed as love at first sight, or even mere lust, and she would have scoffed at anyone else if they had told her similar circumstances; but it felt deeper than that. This felt like destiny; and the more she had learned, the surer she had felt.

"I'm not sure you do see," he stressed, as he edged nearer, trying to judge her body language as he did so. Her stance meant that she could either lash out to strike him hard, or she would lunge at him passionately. He was ready for both. "I am so sorry that I didn't come back; and I wrestled with myself whether I should do this or not. But as soon as I saw you this morning, I knew," he gently stated, and stepped closer still. "I can't keep away. You draw me in like a siren. I am whatever you want me to be."

"And what exactly do you think that is, Alec?" she asked as she reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders.

Involuntarily his hands went to her waist, to slowly bring her flush with his body. So many possible answers raced through his head: 'your donor', 'your lover', 'your future'; or simply 'yours'. That covered everything. But of course he couldn't say that, so instead he kissed her. A tender touch of lips to declare his promise.

She moved her mouth beneath his; to bind the promise with soft undulating movements. His hands responded by traveling up her back to pull her closer, hold her in place and stop her from getting away.

It was easy to encourage her to open up further, to kiss him with their tongues meshing and gliding together. Before long a groan of desperation forced its way out of his throat, but she didn't seem to mind in the slightest; she didn't even mock him for it. Instead her attention changed to throwing off his jacket, removing his tie and then tackling the goal of getting rid of his shirt.

"Bloody hell, that's a bad scar!" Donna exclaimed, unthinking, as she finished undoing his shirt buttons and revealed his chest.

"About that," he tried to calmly explain; but obviously it wasn't an easy subject for him. "I had to have a pacemaker put in."

"Oh my God!" she gasped, throwing her hands over her mouth in shock as tears welled up. "Is it safe?" she quietly asked, as another headache threatened to surge over her. "Is it safe for us to carry on doing this?"

He caught hold of both her hands and brought them to rest on his chest. "Donna, I have a condition called arrhythmia; it merely means irregular heartbeats."

She turned her hands and laid them flat on his chest. "You almost died. I can feel it," she sadly stated as she stared at his scar before touching her lips reverently onto where it lay, high on the left side of his chest. With tears coursing down her cheeks, she lifted her head and gazed straight into his eyes. "This was the problem I sensed within you; this suicidal need that has warred and almost claimed you. But you realised it doesn't have to be that way. Oh, Alec! I am so lucky that I found you," she muttered, smoothing her hands gradually upwards against his bare skin until she cradled his face lovingly.

"Why lucky?" he wondered, puzzled by her choice of words.

"You daft bugger! Why do you think?" she admonished him, easing his head forward in order to rest their foreheads together. "I fancied entering the Olympics, obviously."

He chuckled. "What event were you thinking of?"

She brought her mouth up to his ear to breathily say, "The bedroom Olympics; and I'm not talking about the pillow fight section."

"Really?" This was obviously his cue to take her mouth again and continue their earlier kiss that had been rudely interrupted by his past history. "Is there a special uniform we have to wear?"

She deftly undid the belt sitting at his waist as he eased down the zip on her dress. "Oh yes; but I know a good tailor that can rustle us up both a copy in a matter of minutes."

"Donna, I brought my own." He chose that moment to remove her dress by peeling it down slowly off her shoulder. "Oh my," he remarked when he noticed her matching underwear. "You really do look after the details."

"I wasn't Supertemp for nothing," she bragged; taking the opportunity to kiss across his shoulder and up his throat.

He responded by snuggling into her neck and, by holding onto her hips, bringing them together. "I think we need to get rid of our restraints."

They both looked down to see clothing pooling around their feet; and quickly stepped out of it all to gain freedom.

When Donna raised a quizzical eyebrow at him, Hardy hastily removed his socks as well as his shoes. "What else are you going to remove?" he asked.

"I'll let you choose that one." She graced him with a saucy smirk that made his blood run hotter.

Inevitably he went straight for the bra clasp, and eagerly helped shed her bra.

"You're keen," she commented.

"Just weighing up the evidence," he joked; and got swatted for his troubles.

That was when he decided to go for broke; and lunged at her, crushing her near naked body up against his as he locked his mouth onto her lips. He hungrily tasted her whilst duelling with her tongue; sliding and sucking as he went. A deep groan erupted from his mouth as they shared kiss after passionate kiss.

It was becoming too much for him, he had to take a step nearer to taking full possession; so he manoeuvred them backwards onto the bed, keeping her beneath him as they undulated on the cotton duvet cover.

Their desire flared as hands sought out flesh to explore, caress and savour. And all the time she pressed up to him so invitingly that he wanted to take her then and there.

"What was your decision?" she gasped out.

"About what?" he asked in return.

"To use protection or not," she answered; bucking in response as cloth irritatingly met cloth.

All he could hear was the roar of his blood as it rushed to supply certain parts of his body that were becoming extremely and increasingly insistent. "Without," he proclaimed. "I'll go without."

They rolled apart to wriggle about removing underwear; and then they were both finally naked and ready to take the last step.

This was what Donna had been hoping and waiting for, the possible moment of conception with a man she had immediately idolised. So she laid back in her best seductive pose, and reached out for him as she softly ordered, "Come here."

* * *

Panting, he grinned down at Donna's satisfied face.

"Are you okay?" she asked with deep concern.

He instantly kissed her lips. "I'm fine; better than fine!"

"Should I look for your medication? Do you need anything?" she wondered as they separated and cuddled together.

"I only need you," he replied, hugging her close.

"Have you gone all soppy on me?" she playfully mocked him.

A sheepish smile spread across his face. "I'm told I have a tendency to be," he reluctantly confessed.

Well that needed rewarding, Donna decided; so she kissed him. "I like soppy Alec; very much," she assured him. "Will you come and visit me in London?"

"I suppose I will need to keep doing this with you until you fall pregnant," he reasoned out cautiously.

"No, I don't mean just that. This, us, doesn't need to end immediately." Was she mad for considering holding onto him any longer than was necessary? Or was she mad for thinking it would have all ended quickly, with him walking away from her? Proclaiming this feeling she had for him could possibly destroy any fledgling attachment he felt for her in return, scaring him off when she really didn't want to do that. So she went for the emotion she knew he would respond to. "Sometimes this life is very lonely. I need to share it with someone."

"Oh Donna," he whispered as he brought his lips to hers. He understood loneliness, and the need to gain any contact, so well. "I want to try, with you."

"Then we'd better keep trying," she agreed.

They shared a satisfied smile as this soaked in.

A cheeky grin then appeared on his face. "If I said you had a beautiful body…?"

She inevitably swatted his arm as she giggled.

* * *

**A/N3:** there is more of this to come, and the extended adult version is on **AO3**.

**A/N4:** I've decided to post the rest of this 8 part story (or at least I think I'm stopping at 8) under the First Cut title; and have deleted previous postings.


	3. The Third Cut Is Okay

**Fandom:** Doctor Who/Broadchurch

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, OCs

**Warning:** this might be slightly AU after this week's episode, but I'm saying it's what will happen.

**Summary:** In a sequel to The Second Cut Is Slower, Donna decides to help her new friend gain something precious back.

**Disclaimer:** nope, not mine. I'm just having fun here.

**A/N:** I had no idea of Hardy's daughter's name when I wrote this. And I still don't!

* * *

**The Third Cut Is Okay**

.

It was as she was falling asleep in her hotel bed, with Hardy's arm wrapped possessively around her waist and his body snuggled up behind hers, that Donna finally thought of a nickname for him.

"Oh for goodness sake!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Think of what?" he mumbled, and rubbed his chin against her temple.

She winced at the pain caused by his stubble and tried to move away, but he wasn't going to let that happen fast. "A name for you," she grouchily told him.

"Go on then, give it your best shot," he murmured. "And then we can go to bloody sleep."

"It's simple. I should have called you 'Thomas'," she proposed.

"Thomas? Oh, you mean Thomas Hardy. Very funny, Donna," he sarcastically commented, and didn't chuckle.

"Please yourself," she huffed, and thumped her pillow to make it softer.

"I'd appreciate it more if I wasn't shagged out and could actually sleep," he grumbled.

"Watch it! Or you won't get to wake up in the morning," she threatened him, and deliberately turned over to stop him sleeping by kissing him.

He opened his mouth to let her kiss him deeply. "What are you up to?"

"I'm not up to anything," she insisted as she tried to sound innocent. "Nothing at all," she continued as she kissed him again. "I'm only doing this so that I don't have to rely on dragging you back into my bed at another time."

"Are you?" he queried with interest as he returned the kisses. "Did you have to drag me in this time?"

"It was more like a trail of breadcrumbs, to be honest," she admitted as she broke from his lips and began to suckle on his throat, licking her way down to the base of his neck. "Food was definitely involved."

He laughed, glorifying in the moment as he let her start to have her wicked way with him. In fact he was rather enjoying the sensation of a naked woman wriggling on his body; the push of her breasts as they swung onto his chest, the soft feel of her skin, her hot tongue creating a path of arousal as he became increasingly aware of intimate flesh. A groan broke out of him.

Donna giggled at him. "You are so easy!"

"No, it's what you've reduced me to," he argued as his body decided to undulate in order to rise and meet her. "You're just too bloody sexy."

She snorted her scorn at that. "As I said, you are easy, Thomas; because if I do this…"

For a second he wondered what she was about to do; and then she placed her hands on his shoulders to push herself up off him. He went to complain that she was taking her body away from him, but then he realised exactly what she was doing. "Arhh harrr!" he gasped out at the delicious sensation; unable to think of the right words to describe his delight.

"I thought you'd like that," she smirked as she momentarily shut her eyes to absorb the sweet result.

His hands went to his hips.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. "So beautiful."

She was in two minds to completely contradict him.

"What the…?!" she squealed as she found herself being suddenly forced backwards; and she landed on the soft covers.

Hardy followed her down and he instantly returned to her mouth to take possession of it. That talented tongue of his glided over hers, enticing her ever onwards. He was suddenly over, on, and was her as a wave of desire and completion built to a crescendo.

She couldn't cry out because he was taking her air; and if she wasn't careful she was going to lose control at any second.

Hardy knew he was being greedy but she was driving him wild with desire. Baby or not, he had to make her body his. "Oh Donna!" he panted out; trying desperately to catch his breath before calming down. "I'm not used to this."

He allowed himself to collapse onto her as she tenderly rubbed his back, unwilling to pull instantly away.

"You okay?" she asked as she kissed his face.

"I'm okay," he confirmed as he gratefully kissed her back. Then with another groan, he rolled to the side and off her. "Now I'm definitely knackered!"

Aw, he looked so adorable to her eyes as he lay sated on the bed beside her. Donna couldn't resist reaching out a hand to rub his torso like a beloved pet. "I think you just paid for your part of the meal," she commented; and gained a laugh from him.

"Donna," he started to say, as he took hold of her hand and brought it up to his lips, "I would love to come up to London to visit you. Don't let this dwindle away."

"I won't," she promised. "But you have to play your part too."

"I will," he vowed. "It's been a long time since I was a boyfriend, but I think I can remember how these things go."

"Does that include all the normal skulking about, lying and cheating?" she wondered.

He shook his head. "I was a bloody brilliant boyfriend; always punctual, courteous, bought presents. I even proposed once," he boasted.

It was on the tip of her tongue to point out how well all that went. But that wasn't true; he had ended up married with a child after all. "Just keep that in mind where we're concerned, please," she begged. "Not the proposing!" she quickly amended. "Just the being a decent boyfriend…" Phew! She saved it; and then blushed, spoiling the effect.

That gained her a radiant smile. She loved to see him smile; his was a face that was designed for it.

"How could it be anything else but wonderful when I have you?" he schmoozed her as he lovingly caressed her cheek.

"You don't half talk shite, Thomas," she scoffed at him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It was worth a try, wasn't it?" he said cheekily.

"Oh yes; anything's worth a try with you," she readily agreed.

The grin stayed on his face. "Can I ask something else? Can we now try sleeping? I really am knackered; I wasn't kidding."

For once she didn't swat him; she merely laughed in agreement.

* * *

The following morning Donna and Hardy parted company with many promises to meet up during the weekend. It had been tempting for her to stay on in the hotel just outside Broadchurch, but her mind was already plotting things out; and she had instantly got one of her assistants, George, to make a very special arrangement for the next day.

Hmm. The school didn't look too bad as Donna stepped out of her car. Of course George had to complain, didn't he?

"We're back at a school?! I thought we were doing a talk," George grumbled as he pushed open the car door and climbed out.

"We are, you numpty!" Donna bit back. "Not every client is a corporation; other things do exist in the world."

She breathed out a sigh of exasperation. Why had she thought it would be a good idea to bring him with her to this place? Apart from his good looks she sometimes wondered if he was worth the hassle of keeping him around. George was one of those young twenty somethings who was sure that they were entitled to far more than they deserved; and made certain that everybody around them was aware of their opinion with this. Most of the time she was able to slap him down about it immediately, but she was unaccountably nervous about turning up at this particular secondary school; the outcome was too important.

George made a noise of disapproval. "But a school!" he griped.

"What's the matter? Frightened they'll steal your dinner money?" she mocked him. "You're a big boy now, so get your arse in gear and get out our projector."

"Yes, Donna," he huffed in annoyance and went to collect their stuff from the boot. "If I get surrounded by snotty-nosed kids, I want you to know that I'm holding you responsible."

"Oh I'm relying on that, Georgie boy," she muttered to herself; and squared back her shoulders to walk into the main school building.

"Welcome to our school, Mrs Temple-Noble!" the headmaster boomed out as soon as he saw her; and attempted to shake her hand off her wrist.

She wrenched it back out of his grasp. "Thank you for being able to fit us in at such short notice. I know your requested our presence, but I bet you weren't expecting such a fast response."

The headmaster had beamed back at her. "I'm sure our pupils won't mind a little diversion to fill up their Friday," he assured her. "Is there anything you need before we begin?"

"Yes, I'm glad you asked me that," she told him confidentially. "Do you have some photos and a list of the pupils I will be meeting today?"

"Certainly," he replied; and led her into his office to examine a particular file.

After a quick cup of coffee, Donna and George were being shown to their perspective audience.

"…And here we have our potential sixth formers," the headmaster boasted as he led the two of them down a brightly lit corridor and opened a door.

The assembled pupils within immediately stood up obediently and gave them curious looks.

Donna eyed the specially invited pupils and spotted her straight away; she had his colouring and his eyes. Already Donna was half in love with the girl. "Hello. You might have heard of me, although I go by the name 'Donna Noble' now and this is my assistant George," she began as she introduced her talk about the good work her charity did; and George smiled back at her reassuringly.

It went quite well, the projector didn't play up, there were a few laughs, a few sniffs as she related real case studies, and there were pleased faces before she finished her well-rehearsed spiel.

"I'll get straight to the questions part since you've heard the speech," Donna told them with a smile. "Anyone have something they want to ask me?" She gazed around and the boy she had expected to do so put up his hand.

When she pointed at him, he burst out with, "Is it true that you've got a magic memory?"

There was a nervous laugh from the audience. This was a topic that often came up in newspaper articles whenever they wrote about her. "Hmm. Where should I start…" Donna paced up and down a little as she tried to decide where to go with this one. "Before I came into the hall today I was given a list of all the pupils with small thumbnails of you. So, from that I know you are Jake Hemmings."

Jake didn't not look completely convinced. "You might have been given the names of all the troublemakers," he reasoned.

"Then you choose for me, Jake. Pick someone out that you think I wouldn't know," Donna challenged him.

"Go on Jake!" a friend encouraged him and he sought out a possible candidate.

"Her!" he finally decided; pointing to a small mousey girl five chairs away.

The girl in question immediately blushed a deep crimson red as all eyes turned to look at her.

"Aw, poor Lorraine Adams. That was not very nice of you, Jake," Donna admonished him. It pleased her immensely that he looked so impressed. "You picked a very impressive young lady who will go far with her music interests. Do we have any other questions?"

There was a show of hands, and the talk was off. Good! She wanted to send up prayers that Jake had helped her cause so much.

* * *

Almost an hour later, Donna was politely helping herself to some nibbles when two girls crept nearer, obviously longing to ask her something. Ah, just the people she wanted to see. She turned and gave them an encouraging smile. "What can I do for you two ladies?"

"We were wondering; do you ever take school-leavers in your charity?" the more forward girl asked.

"I have done," Donna cautiously replied, "but I don't tend to. I like people to have some experience of life first. Most of our employees ideally come from the police, if we can get them, or several others places."

"I wouldn't want to join the police!" the other girl blurted out.

"Why's that?" Donna queried as she took the chance to study her. After all, she had been waiting for this girl to come and talk to her of her own freewill; infinitely pleased that she had. "I'd have thought you'd be ideal."

"What do you know about me?" the girl protested in the way teenagers often do. "You know nothing about me at all!"

'Oh, here comes the true challenge,' Donna thought to herself. "I know that you are Bethany Hardy; that you are a very intelligent girl who seems very quiet but really you are intensely focused on your studies. You have ideals that adults don't always live up to, but you are a loving, thoughtful girl."

Bethany gasped. "How did you know that?" she inevitably asked.

"Because I've read the basic details about you, and you are perfectly normal for a teenager," Donna explained kindly. "I can sense someone with rebellious tendencies when I see them." Here was her chance to make the necessary connection. "I also don't meet many people with the surname Hardy. Do you have any family living near Broadchurch?"

"No!" Bethany quickly responded while her friend looked stunned. "I know no-one there."

"That's a shame," Donna sympathised. "Anyway, I have to go and collect George from his fan club over there and get back to London."

On the other side of the room, George was surrounded by several schoolgirls all vying for his attention; just as Donna had hoped they would. Her gamble had paid off so far.

It was as they were about to leave the school building that Bethany rushed up to catch Donna on her own, and whispered, "I do know someone in Broadchurch, Ms Noble."

"Do you? And call me Donna, please." She then waited patiently for the expected question.

"Did you by any chance meet my dad?" Bethany wondered.

Donna tried not to smile in triumph too much. "If you mean Inspector Alec Hardy, then yes, I did meet him." She waited for a small sign of recognition at the name before she continued, "I must say that I was very taken with him, you'll be pleased to know. He's a dad to be proud of."

Bethany made no attempt to hide her sneer contempt. "Do you really think so?"

With a deliberate action of stopping her progress towards the car in order to pay attention, Donna assured her, "I know so. You see, my mum has often been a right cow to me all my life; but my dad…" She gave a happy sigh. "Dad was always there, offering support, helping me build my dreams. And I see exactly the same qualities in your dad."

A suspicious expression appeared on Bethany's face. "Did you send you here to say this to me?"

"What?! You think your dad has the power to make me, the Donna Temple-Noble, take time out of her busy schedule to do all this just to talk to you? If that was so, you've got some dad!" she openly teased her. "I met him, I spoke to him to give him some information about a case, and then we had a meal." She then changed her tone to a much softer one, and offered, "I have his contact details if you're interested."

"I don't know," Bethany admitted, with a coy shake of her head.

"I'll tell you what," Donna began. "You go home tonight, give it a think, and if you want to say a simple 'hello' to him, contact me here…" She drew out a business card from her pocket and handed it over. "This will allow you to get through to me directly, so spread it around; but I promise you won't regret it."

Bethany fingered the embossed card now within her hands and regarded it attentively; so Donna took the opportunity to walk away and leave the girl with her thoughts.

"Ms Noble! I mean, Donna!" Bethany called out, halting Donna in her tracks. She waited until Donna had turned around before she said, "Thank you for this." She held up the card as if something else was in question.

"You're very welcome, Ms Hardy. You are worth the effort. And contact me when you choose which university to go to; I'd love to know. You've got the potential to go far." With a final smile, Donna continued on her way, more than a little bit sure she'd be hearing from Bethany very soon.

In fact, as Donna turned to gaze briefly at Bethany Hardy before dipping down to get into her car, she could see definite connections grow between them. It was faint to her sight, as such things normally were, but it was there. Not that anyone knew this happened since her head injury. Like everything else that was different now, nobody needed to know.

With a satisfied sniff, she drove away and resolved to phone Alec Hardy at the first opportunity.

* * *

**A/N2:** you can find the full adult version of this on AO3.


	4. The Fourth Cut Hurts Less

**Fandom:** Doctor Who/Broadchurch

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, OCs

**Warning:** this might be slightly AU after the last episode of Broadchurch, but I'm saying it's what will happen.

**Summary:** In a sequel to The Third Cut Is Okay, Donna takes a step further to help her new friend.

**Disclaimer:** when they shared out the ownership honours I didn't get a look in.

**A/N:** this was written to answer the questions **dm12** made me think about.

* * *

**The Fourth Cut Hurts Less**

.

"I'm starving!" George grumbled as they headed back towards London. "Do you know that I didn't get a decent lunch?"

"I did notice you getting an awful lot of girls to hang on your every word," Donna commented. "Is this your subtle way of asking me if I'll stop for us to eat on the way?"

George merely shrugged. "It'd be nice," he remarked, pouting petulantly.

"Alright," she huffed. In fact she was also hungry, so it was hard to keep up the pretence of being angry with him. That's not to say it wasn't fun…

The next service station on the motorway beckoned, so Donna turned off and parked her car. "It'd better be more than a simple Costa Coffee," she told him.

As she got out of the car her phone went off, just as she had expected it to. "Hello, Donna Noble speaking," she told the caller.

It was a mobile phone number, but the caller went silent for a while then a very hesitant voice said, "Sorry! I thought this was false. I was just testing it out."

Ah, this had been totally predictable. So Donna calmly told the girl, "No, this is really me. Could you hand the phone back to Bethany, please?"

There was the sound of the phone being moved about; and then an apologetic young voice came on the line. "I'm so sorry, Donna. She just took the phone off me. I couldn't stop her!"

"It's okay, Bethany," Donna reassured her. "These things happen; but I'd appreciate it not happening again. I would, however, love to talk to you another time since I'm driving home at the moment. Why don't I call you tomorrow? Would about 2pm be okay?"

There was a slight pause on the other end. "Are you sure? I'd love to talk you then," Bethany breathily replied in relief.

"Until then, bye Bethany!" Donna shut off the phone and held it to her bottom lip momentarily; very pleased with this result.

"What was all that about?" George asked as they finally started to walk into the main services concourse.

"Curious George, I was setting up a play date," she mysteriously told him. "I fancy a burger, and for once, guess what! You are paying." She laughed a teasing laugh, feeling full of satisfaction that plans can go exceedingly well.

What was wrong with her? She was as skittish as a young girl going on her very first date; a situation she had left behind many years ago. But this was suddenly different; because she was aware she was ovulating. This could be it, her chance to gain motherhood. There was one little detail missing, and he was several miles away.

Hmm. How should she word this? It was no good; she would have to be brutally frank. Having made the decision, she snatched up her phone and dialled his number.

"Hardy speaking," he answered efficiently.

"Hello Hardy. I'd like to order a large slice of beefcake, please," she purred seductively down the phone.

"Is this…?" he spluttered, and then regained control. "I'm afraid this weekend's offer may have to wait."

Damn! She needed him right away. "I'll send a driver to collect you; make sure you are in full working order. I don't care when or how short a time we'll have. I expect you to come."

The thrill of her voice went right through him, making him shudder as he sat at his desk. "It might only be an hour or so," he warned her.

"I don't care," she repeated, continuing to purr down the line. "You will come… to me."

He held his hand over his eyes. This woman! Why did she affect him in this way? "I finish in an hour and then I'm going home."

No he wasn't! She was determined. "Would you like a car, or a helicopter to collect you?"

"You'd send a helicopter?!" Bloody hell! That was impressive, he thought.

"I'd send a personal jet if I had to," Donna insisted. "A car will be sitting outside your house in an hour and a half," she promised. "I'll see you later."

Hardy sat shocked at his desk. She was actually sending a car for him. Could this get any more bizarre?

* * *

It got even more unusual for Hardy as the car swished through a pair of impressive gates and pulled up outside a large house. He knew Donna had money but this looked expensive!

Excitement buzzed in her as she spotted his car pull up outside her house. "Well Inspector Hardy, I've been expecting you," Donna practically crooned at him. "Let me take your coat."

"I should bloody well hope you did considering you sent a car specifically for me," he commented.

The ungrateful sod! She wanted to rant at him. Instead she turned, dumped his coat, and started walking away. "This is where I live and work," she stated as he automatically followed. "Part of the house has been kept as my own, but the majority has been taken over by the charity. These rooms here are often rented out to provide funds, and ex-runaways are employed by the catering staff."

"Donna, why are you showing me all this?" he asked testily when the tour stopped.

"You obviously were curious about the place rather than me," she answered honestly.

He ran his fingers through his hair irritably. "You've brought me all the way here to show off this place? Why? I could just as easily have seen photos or video."

"It's like anything else in life; you have to experience it for yourself before you reject it." She stood smiling sweetly at him.

"Are you saying that I'm rejecting you?" he wondered incredulously.

She stepped nearer to him. "I'm saying you are rejecting something, and I would like to know what it is."

"I…" He gawped, open mouthed, at her. "I find all this intimidating, like I'm an object on show or your latest acquisition."

Relief made a comeback in her heart, and she held out her hand in invitation. "Then let's go somewhere more friendly," she softly offered.

Her hand was taken without question; so she led him up an obscured staircase hid behind a curtain, keeping quiet until they emerged at the top in a suite of rooms.

"This is my place," she announced.

It was a modest area, far less ornate than the rooms he had seen downstairs and far more modern in taste. This place had warmth, character and a personal touch. "Do you live here alone?"

"I had a dog for a while, but I'm not here often enough for it to be fair, so I gave him to my housekeeper's niece," she admitted. "It gets lonely at times, so I creep out and talk to any members of staff that are still hanging about."

"Is that why you call policemen who are on duty?" he asked; and her face turned to thunder.

Did he really mean that? She stepped much nearer as she bit down on her anger. "I see you didn't grab a decent nap in the car on the way here. Why might you have to rush back?"

"An unfortunate incident occurred," he merely replied.

Donna made a snap decision. "We need to deal with this mood of yours," she proclaimed. "Come on." Yet again she turned and walked away from him, expecting him to follow, which he did.

She led him into a marble lined room. "Why are we in here?" he immediately asked in confusion.

"Because we need to wash away all this negativity," she answered as she used her hip to push the door closed.

His exclamation of "What the…?" was halted by Donna grabbing hold of his tie and slowly undoing it.

"Let's see if I can relax you, Thomas," she purred at him. "Any idea which you'd prefer? I can offer you a shower, a bath or a Jacuzzi."

Hardy found his grumpy mood already dissipating under her touch. "I quite fancy the look of your shower."

In fact he fancied it quite a lot. The shower was a room all on its own, with three power nozzles, an impressive glass door and an invitingly warm décor. By this point Donna had removed his tie, leaving it neatly folded on a table, and was removing his shirt; trailing kisses on his shoulder and firing his desire.

"Your wish is my command," she whispered in between kisses and peeling off his shirt. "As I might have mentioned before, this week…"

"You did make that statement," he agreed as he watched her in fascination and felt himself calm under her tender touch. Whenever he was with her he could feel the rest of the world ebb away and flow with the tide. "Since you are offering, my wish is that you join me in the shower."

She instantly raised her head to regard him closely. Was that triumph he saw flittering about her features?

"That can be arranged," she confirmed; and smiled. "Once we have got rid of a few things."

His breathing hitched as she squatted down to remove his shoes and socks. He went to help, but she held up a hand to stop his movements.

"No, you are tired. Let me do this for you," she soothed him, running her hands gradually up his legs.

"I'm not a bloody baby," he tried to protest.

"No, you aren't," she agreed as she stood again, and ran her hand over the bulge in his trousers. "I'd say you are more than a little adult. You can help me in a moment, if you like."

With a flick of her wrist, the fastening at his waist was dealt with; and then she was tantalisingly easing down his zip, caressing him as she went. His trousers dropped to the floor. His underpants soon followed, and he obligingly stepped out of them.

"You don't have to do that," he blurted out as Donna began to fold the items neatly up.

"Shhh!" She rubbed a hand across his chest. "I'm taking care of you; and then you can take care of me."

To illustrate her point, after she plonked his clothing down she turned her back to him and wriggled her bottom in invitation.

"Oh! You want me to unzip you!" he suddenly realised. His eager fingers drew the zip down to reveal her pale flesh. It was all too much for him to resist, and he eased his hands in around her body to caress her skin and pressed his mouth onto her exposed neck. "Oh Donna!" he gasped out as his hands wandered across her stomach. One hand sought out a breast to explore while the other hand dipped down and into her knickers. "You feel so good!"

How did he manage to make her feel like putty in his hands? "Why don't we do this somewhere hot and steamy?" she offered seductively.

* * *

They didn't rush to wake and get up the following morning, but lazily cuddled together and talked about their latest pieces of news and life in general. When the fancy took them, they had some breakfast, read the paper and enjoyed a stroll in the house grounds whilst holding hands. It felt unpressured and comfortable; like they were mates, special mates.

But Donna hadn't said a word about her planned surprise for Hardy, in case it went pear-shaped and caused him unnecessary angst. Dead on 2pm, Donna dialled the number she had memorised on her phone from the day before, airily telling him, "I've just got to make a quick phone call. It's rather urgent."

It was picked up within seconds by the person she wanted on the other end.

"Hello. Is that you, Donna?" she heard Bethany anxiously ask. Obviously the girl had been anticipating the call.

"Yes, it's me," she confirmed. "How are you?" she asked as she watched Hardy bustle about finishing making their sandwiches, pour out tea and then bring everything over to the table where she sat in the kitchen.

'Who is it?' he mouthed at her.

He sat stunned when she mouthed back, 'Your Bethany.'

"I'm fine thanks," Bethany brightly answered. "Are you doing anything interesting today?"

"You could say that. In fact I've met up with a friend you might know very well," Donna tried to say lightly as Hardy keenly listened.

"Is it somebody famous?" Bethany wondered excitedly.

"Not in the way you mean, but he has appeared on television." This was it, the chance to give him something he dearly wanted. "Would you like to say 'hello'? I can easily get him to the phone."

There was a slight gasp of uncertainty. "I don't know…"

Donna reached out and grasped Hardy's hand. "Just one word and I promise I'll take the phone back," she coaxed her.

"Erm… Alright then," Bethany reluctantly agreed; and Donna instantly handed the phone over to him.

"Hello darling," Hardy forced himself to greet his daughter calmly, despite his glee and anxiety. "How are you?"

"Hello, Dad. I'm fine," Bethany replied. She then went silent, not knowing what to say to him. What did you say to an estranged parent?

"It was lovely talking to you. I'll pass you back to Donna," he half-heartedly assured her. "Bye." He waited for the returning 'Bye' before handing the phone over.

"Hello again, Bethany," Donna immediately said. "What did you think of our George?" she asked to take the conversation off onto a safe topic; and chatted about school and things for a few minutes.

"Donna, is my dad still there with you?" Bethany eventually asked with great curiosity.

"Yes! Do you want to speak to him again?" Donna instantly offered.

Did she? It was all so confusing still; and panic set in. "No, that's okay. I just wondered, that's all. But thanks," Bethany politely declined. "I'd better go." There was a slight pause before she asked, "Donna, did you make sure you were with my dad to make this phone call?"

"It was merely a happy coincidence that I'd arranged to see him today," Donna confessed. "I hope you don't mind but I knew he wanted to have a quick word with you. Anyway, I'll make sure I send you that information I promised, and I'll speak to you again very soon."

"Thank you; thank you for everything," Bethany gratefully replied. "Bye!"

"Bye, love!" Donna ended the call and turned her attention fully on to Hardy.

This was almost too much for him. "You set all this up… just for me?" he pondered, his voice slightly wavering.

She swallowed nervously. This could go badly wrong for them. "Yes I did. Was it wrong of me?"

"It was oh so right." He stood and reached for her, pulling her into his embrace to kiss deeply. This moment held so many longed for promises.

* * *

**A/N2:** as usual, you can find the uncensored/uncut version of this on AO3 or my LiveJournal website.


	5. The Fifth Cut Is Cautious

**Fandom:** Doctor Who/Broadchurch

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, OCs

**Warning:** this contains another sex scene albeit a heavily edited one! Just close your eyes near the end of the first part. But at least it doesn't contain spoilers for Broadchurch!

**Summary:** In a sequel to The Fourth Cut Hurts Less, Donna extends her friendship as she waits for her own reward.

**Disclaimer:** when they shared out the ownership honours I didn't get a look in.

**A/N**: this time I thought I'd try and get sponsorship from a few shops since Cadburys didn't offer in the past.

* * *

**The Fifth Cut Is Cautious**

.

"Now about this baby…" Hardy almost purred as his voice dropped seductively lower. "Don't you think we ought to get our act together and make it happen?"

"If you think we should," Donna agreed as his lips moved sensually against her mouth. In fact she'd have practically agreed to anything he proposed in that instance, so distracted was she.

"Name your place. Do you fancy here on the kitchen table, we could use your settee, or a return to the bed, since we haven't christened it yet?" he murmured next to her skin.

"What story do you think works best when we tell our future child where they were conceived? And do we name them like Posh and Becks did? Hello, this is our child Ikea, and our other child Harrods," she joked.

"We could get away with it if the furniture came from John Lewis," he countered, still pressing his body up against her. "At this rate I won't care if it's Greggs the Bakery. Get your knickers off!"

"Do you know what? You say the sexiest things," she tried to gripe.

"I also do them, if you'd let me show you." He grinned wickedly.

She grinned just as wantonly back at him. "In that case I choose crisp Egyptian cotton sheets over other soft furnishings, Thomas."

He allowed her to pull away from him and take hold of his hand possessively to lead him back to the bedroom. Without saying a word, they weaved a spell over each other as they tried to seductively remove every item of clothing. It took much self-control not to laugh whilst performing but to enjoy the show being offered as their garments were slowly peeled off. The only sound was their breathing, heavy with anticipation and arousal, as the duvet was pulled back to allow entry into the bed. They didn't get much further than that because the need to reclaim flesh overwhelmed them, and they hungrily lunged at each other to kiss deeply.

Donna instantly missed Hardy's mouth when he relinquished his possessive hold and trailed kisses down her body; stopping to nip and suck her breasts.

That was when a new way of rewarding her entered his mind, and he moved his head lower to kiss over her hip.

"What are you doing…?" she started to ask, but shut up when hot breath blew onto her flesh, intensifying the experience. Eagerly she awaited his next move, and he didn't disappoint.

"It's called loving you," he crooned as he eased forward. "You really are beautiful."

"Geroff! You're just saying that because I might let you go further," she chided him self-consciously.

In answer, he moved back over her body in order to kiss his way up her neck. "It's true! And am I going to? Will you allow me to go further?" he wondered. "You know you want me," he insisted as he undulated against her body.

She tried to grimace, but it didn't work. "Yes," she panted. "You might be able to persuade me." Contrary to her words, her hands worked their way down from his shoulders to knead his bum and press him closer in invitation.

It had the desired effect, and they groaned at the expected delight.

* * *

There was no other way of describing the sensation of making love to Donna; she was bloody fantastic. But those weren't the words that raced through Hardy's mind. Instead he thought, 'I love you. Marry me!' much to his surprise. Was it too soon to even make such a declaration? Probably. And doing so might scare her off.

They were both panting from the exertion as they goofily smiled at each other. Then they were kissing again, unable to refrain from expressing their blossoming love for one another.

Hardy was pleased when she coyly smiled at him and asked, "If this doesn't work successfully this time, will you come back and try again?"

"Try stopping me," he reassured her willingly. "I'd come back whatever happens."

She happily snuggled up to him as their bodies calmed down, and lovingly traced her fingertips along his jawline. "I hope the baby has your eyes," she whispered.

"What these googly things? No, you don't want that. I'd much rather they had your beautiful eyes, your soft skin…" He placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Your gorgeous freckles," he muttered as he sucked in an earlobe. "And most of all, your vibrant hair."

She snorted her scorn. "I don't hear much of you in all that. They'd be bug ugly if they looked like me. No, I want them to be good looking like you."

"Then we seem to have a stalemate," he pointed out. "Because I want them to take after you, and you seem to want the opposite."

"Too right I do!" she agreed.

"Then we can only hope we get a happy combination." He sighed with a satisfied huff.

She kissed the tip of his nose. "If we get a baby, any baby, I will be extremely happy, no matter what they look like," she enthused. "So I don't really know what we are arguing about."

"Neither do I," he laughed. "When will we know by?"

"Very soon, Thomas. By next weekend, I should think."

He positively beamed back at her. "I can hardly wait."

* * *

True to her word, Donna had a car ready and waiting to take Hardy back to Broadchurch by the end of the afternoon so that he could go on his shift; and they parted reluctantly. It was becoming increasingly difficult to separate when their time was up, but they eagerly made arrangements to meet up again as soon as possible.

When her phone rang on Thursday evening, Donna had expected it to be Hardy contacting her, since he tended to phone her late, but to her surprise it wasn't him at all.

Recognising the number, she cautiously answered, "Hello."

There was a tearful sob on the other end of the line before Bethany's voice could be heard loud and clear. "Donna, Mum knows I've been talking to you."

"That's okay; she should know," Donna assured her. "It wouldn't be right to keep our friendship a secret."

"But she said it wasn't right that we keep phoning each other up every day. She made it sound like you doing this is a bit creepy, and she told me that adults don't normally talk to teenagers unless they are after something," Bethany continued.

A cold chill ran through her. "What did you tell her after that?" Donna wondered. This could be the end of this little friendship when it was doing so well.

"That you really care; not just because you are kind but you said good friends look after each other's children," came the weepy answer.

"That's true, I did say that," Donna readily agreed. "How did your mum take it?"

There was another sob. "She demanded to know who you are friends with, since she doesn't know you from Adam. So I told her you know Dad quite well, and then she… she said that Dad… you might have been there with him when Dad almost died recently." A stricken pause followed. "Did he almost die, Donna?! Is that true?"

Oh dear! Why hadn't the woman told her daughter this before now? "I don't want you to get yourself all upset, love, but yes, he came pretty close to it by all accounts. He was very ill until they gave him a pacemaker to control his heart. Didn't your mum tell you any of this?"

"No," Bethany brokenly admitted.

How she wished she could reach through the phone and hug the girl. "Bethany, love, I really think you should see your dad and talk this over with him; learn the absolute truth, from the horse's mouth as it were," Donna tried to persuade her gently. "It doesn't have to be at home, you know. It could be here, down there in Broadchurch, or anywhere you like in between."

The next words from Bethany threatened to rip Donna's heart out; the girl sounded so lost.

Bethany pathetically asked, "Do you think he'd want to see me?"

Would he? Yes he would! "I think he might be persuaded, if we offer him some food," Donna trilled brightly to ease some of the tension. "Generally works for me."

Thankfully there was a small laugh on the other end of the line. "Can you organise me a time to see him, please, Donna?"

"Let me just grab a pen and we'll set that up," she promised in return. "Now, when are you free?"

If this didn't earn her Brownie points with him, nothing ever would, she thought as she scribbled down possible dates.

However the next question momentarily floored her for a second.

"Mum also said that you and Dad are probably more than friends, that you are his bit on the side he sleeps with," Bethany confessed.

She said what? The utter tart! Donna was in two minds to point out who exactly was the 'bit on the side' in this scenario, but she hastily bit her tongue to stop herself from doing so. Instead she forced herself to laugh.

Except she stopped laughing when Bethany innocently asked, "Do you fancy Dad?"

"Well I…," Donna heard herself stammering. What was the matter with her?! She'd denied fancying plenty of blokes in her time, even when she had. "I wouldn't have put it like that. He's erm… he has a certain something."

"Oh Donna!" Bethany obviously threw her hand over her mouth to stop a loud guffaw erupting out. "How could you? He's old!"

"Watch it, you!" Donna playfully threatened. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm old too and way passed it."

"You're not that old," Bethany defended her in return. "It's just… he's my dad."

Donna could almost hear Bethany screwing her nose up in disgust. "Yeah, well, some of us go for the puppy dog eyes and the air of authority whilst being…" She sighed. "Why am I even saying all this?"

"Puppy dog eyes," Bethany repeated as she giggled. "You've got it bad."

Had she? Was she really that wrapped up in him? She quickly shut that thought down. "Don't go telling him what I said, alright? I'd never live it down; we're just friends," Donna insisted; and started getting one of those headaches again. It was one of those debilitating headaches that always appeared when a phrase tweaked something deep in her mind, except they hadn't been as bad lately, since pregnancy had become a possibility.

"I promise I won't," Bethany assured her. "But Donna…?"

"Yes, love?"

"If you two ever get married, can I be bridesmaid?" Bethany cheekily requested as a tease.

Donna genuinely laughed then. "Of course you can. I'll tell you what, IF that ever happens, you can choose the venue, the dress, everything!"

"You are funny!" Bethany declared. "But I'll hold you to that."

That wasn't hard to imagine. "I'm sure you would. And I can seek my revenge by becoming your wicked stepmother."

Her giggling sobered, and Bethany added, "I can't see you ever being like that. You'd be a brilliant stepmother."

Unbidden tears sprung to Donna's eyes. "What a lovely thing to say. Thank you." She wiped across her face with the back of her sleeve when she couldn't see a convenient box of tissues nearby. "I'd better get back to sorting something out for tomorrow and I'll speak to you later. Bye!"

"Bye Donna!" Bethany called out; and the phone call ended.

For a few moments Donna sat looking at the phone in her hand. When had this stopped being a means to an end and had become a proper loving relationship? Probably right from the word go when she had seen the girl the first time. Already images of her and Bethany drifted through her mind, of them acting like mother and daughter as they shopped for some article. Was this another of her little visions that often came true, or was this just pure wish fulfilment? And did it mean that if she didn't manage to have this precious baby she yearned for, could she lay some claim on his existing daughter instead? Her heart was very willing to go in that direction.

She mentally shook herself. What was she doing letting her thoughts run away with her like that? Especially as she might already be pregnant, with a daughter of her own. This could be it! Almost leaping out of her chair, Donna made her way towards the bathroom where the first pregnancy test sat ready and waiting in the cupboard. In fact she'd bought a load of them to try out over the coming week, since a negative result didn't mean failure yet. With a spring in her step, she ran towards her future.

* * *

Within seconds she had her answer, because it was an obvious 'no'; and Donna promptly burst into tears. She had been so sure it would be successful with Hardy.

He'd been so lovely on the phone when she rang to tell him; commiserating with her whilst saying they would merely try again and would continue to do so until that much wanted baby turned up. Yes, what was she thinking it would instantly happen? These things took time, and the statistics were against a quick positive result. Plus, it gave her another clear month to anticipate a pregnancy rather than jumping in feet first like she had tried to do. And things felt so right with Hardy. It would be daft to turn up on her Mum's doorstep and introduce him as the father of her child without any prior meeting. It would seem as though she had just picked him up off the street; and she definitely hadn't done that, despite appearances to the contrary.

* * *

Hardy managed to surpass her expectations by arriving to hold her tight during the night, as she sobbed within the warmth of his embrace. He even stayed for most of the following morning. It was the first time she could think of in living memory that anyone had cared so much. Of course there was those missing years to consider, but she quickly dismissed them because, if you really thought about it, if anyone had deeply cared in that time they'd have still been with her. So she was certain not much had happened during 'the gap', as she had christened it.

Since they were quietly cuddling on the settee and not worrying about more carnal activities, Hardy decided to ask about something that had cropped up in their short time sharing a bed. "Donna, did you know you talk in your sleep?"

She was shocked. "No. Do I?"

"Quite a lot," he muttered, and kissed her forehead.

"As long as I don't yell out the name of a different lover you're safe," Donna had joked.

But that remark had worried Hardy. She _had_ called out a name, several times; both in panic and joyously in her sleep. Whoever this 'Spaceman' was he certainly had made her very happy at one point, and absolutely panicked her at another.

"What sort of nicknames have you come up with for past ex-boyfriends?" he then tried to nonchalantly ask.

She frowned as she considered her answer. "Most of them I didn't. Well, not until after we were through and then I came up with a few choice names! Most of them were just 'me bloke' whenever I referred to them, apart from Tubs and Gaffer. Unless you count Gazzie, Chimp, Fogface and Zippit. I can give you a list if you like. No, that's it apart from you," she told him brightly.

Hardy had to remind himself that she was a serial spinster, who was often lonely, as jealousy tried to overtake him. "Then who is Spaceman?" He looked at her expectantly.

"Who?" She instantly started rubbing her forehead as pain shot through her skull. "I've never called anyone… I feel sick! I really feel terrible," she confessed. "I'm going to have to lie down for a while. Can you get me some ibuprofen?"

"Of course I can," he sympathised; and rushed to fetch her some painkillers once he had helped her find her way to bed. He stayed with her until she fell asleep, tenderly stroking her hair; and then mooched around her flat, still wondering who this Spaceman was that she often called out for. Although some of the time she called out for a doctor too. That baffled him. Why would you want a doctor in a dream? One thing he had noticed, asking her questions seemed to trigger her terrible headaches, and kissing her during her sleep stopped the name mumbling.

* * *

**A/N2:** the full adult version of this can be found on my journal and AO3.


	6. The Sixth Cut Brings Joy

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, Sylvia, Wilf, OCs

**Summary:** In a sequel to The Fifth Cut Is Cautious, Donna decides to help her new friend gain something precious back.  
**Disclaimer:** when they shared out the ownership honours I didn't get a look in.  
**A/N:** sorry for the delay, but it's been a bad couple of days again; and it grew a bit. While I'm apologising - sorry about the lack of smut in this chapter.

* * *

**The Sixth Cut Brings Joy**

.

"Alec, I have a small confession to make," Donna cautiously began when they next sat together drinking tea.

His face fell immediately as his cup halted halfway on its journey to his lips. She'd used his first name and she hadn't done that since the first day they'd had full sex. "Confession?" he queried. "What sort of confession?"

"It's to do with Bethany and your… erm… wife," she said nervously.

"What have you done?!" he demanded as calmly as he could whilst putting his cup hastily down.

"I did it for the best, honest I did." Donna did her most innocent looking face. "The thing is, I had a phone call from Bethany the other night. You know, the one when she asked if she could meet you…? Well, what I didn't tell you was that her mum seems to think I am grooming her."

Anger initially hit him, quickly followed by a smirk flickered across his face as he tried to remain stern. "Sounds typical," he agreed. And then waited to hear the rest of the tale.

"I couldn't let that happen, otherwise she might have stopped Bethany having any contact with you; so…" She took a deep breath. "I phoned her up and spoke to her," she quickly spat out.

"You did what?! Donna! What did you tell her about us? Do you realise the harm she can do to me?" he roared.

"I rather got the impression she already has," Donna quietly commented. She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "It all has to be above board and out in the open, this contacting Bethany, otherwise we could lose out. No secrets; do you agree?"

Hardy sighed. "I agree," he assured her after some moments. "So what was said?"

Should she divulge everything that his ex-wife had spouted about him? That would be unfair and cruel to a certain extent. "After I explained who I am, with the charity and that, I then offered to meet her in person if she was still dubious. As for us, I told her we were friends who had met when I had to go down to Broadchurch for some promotional work, and she thawed a bit. I even got her to agree that it would be beneficial for Bethany to see you in person after the bombshell… I mean…the near death thing."

He rubbed the brow of his nose anxiously, and then looked up to reconsider her concerned face. "So you've revealed all to Bethany, spoke to my wife and made her allow me to see my daughter despite hating me," he said slowly stated.

"Just the bare basics. I told Bethany that she needed to speak to you; that's what pushed all this further," Donna nervously admitted.

He got up and went round to where she sat; and instantly wrapped her up in a tight hug. She melted into his embrace. "I wish I could make love to you right this second," he whispered, and kissed her sweetly. "No-one has ever tried so hard for me."

"Get used to it, Thomas," she replied. "You're a member of Team Donna now, and you'll get more than a t shirt."

Chuckling with delight, he held her to him. "The next member of Team Donna will arrive hopefully in the next month, so in light of that, don't you think I ought to meet your family?"

"And there was me thinking you didn't have a death wish," she remarked with some resignation.

* * *

A day or so later, Hardy accompanied Donna on a trip to her mother's house. Using her key, she led him into the quiet house, and sought out someone. Fortunately Sylvia arrived on the scene as soon as Donna had told Hardy to sit himself down in the living room.

"Hello! I didn't know you were coming today," Sylvia greeted the sight of Donna when she walked in. "Who's this?"

"Mum, it's about time you met Thomas, I mean, Alec," Donna cautiously began.

"Is this him?" Sylvia asked as she rounded the settee and gazed directly at Hardy. Her eyes narrowed as she squinted at him. A few hasty intakes of breath then followed as recognition of his features raced through her mind. "Oh my gawd!" she gasped out and sank like a stone to the carpet, in a faint.

"Mum!" Donna screamed as she rushed forward.

"It's okay, Donna. I know what to do," Hardy insisted as he eased Sylvia into the recovery position and checked her pulse. "Go get her a glass of water and any medication she is on."

Donna hastily ran off leaving him alone with her mum.

Sylvia began to rouse herself, and mumbled to Hardy, "You're him. I hardly recognised you for a second. You've changed and look really rough like that. Get out quick!"

"What him?" Hardy inevitably asked in his confusion.

"The Doctor," she whispered; sending a chill through his heart.

"Who is this Doctor?" he anxiously asked her as he helped her get up and sit on the nearest soft chair. "Please, I need to know."

"Later!" Sylvia hissed.

"Here you go, Mum," Donna announced as she placed a glass of water in Sylvia's hand. "Aren't those blood pressure tablets working anymore?"

"I'll have to go back to the doctors," Sylvia replied as she gratefully accepted the glass and plainly ignored Hardy. "I haven't come over funny like that in ages."

"Oh!" Donna gasped. "I haven't introduced you…"

"What about some tea, love? I'm sure your mum could do with a cup," Hardy quickly suggested, staying sat near Sylvia with a concerned expression on his face.

Donna frowned. What was he up to? This all seemed fishy. "Okay; I'll make us some tea" she reluctantly agreed. "Won't be long."

Hardy waited for her to be out of earshot before he asked his next pressing question. "Were the Doctor and Spaceman the same man? Did Donna go out with this man called the Doctor?"

"You can't keep asking these questions here," Sylvia almost pleaded with him.

"What's all this?" demanded a frail old man standing in the doorway. He stood staring at Hardy for several seconds.

"Hello, I'm Detective Inspector Hardy," he automatically introduced himself. At least he didn't pull out his identity badge this time. "Do I assume you are Wilfred Mott?"

"That I am, sir," Wilf stiffly replied and moved a bit nearer to ask about Sylvia. But instead he too gasped. "It's his lordship! If you don't mind me saying, you're look like you're in a fair old state. Is this a disguise, or have you still got all that radiation?"

Hardy stood, angry now that more possible questions were being thrown up. "I am not in disguise; I am here with Donna," he stated.

"You'd better come with me," Wilf insisted with a wave of his hand, ignoring Hardy's words. "You can't stand around here talking like this."

"Hello Gramps!" Donna appeared and rushed forward to greet him with a deep hug. "Gramps, this is Alec," she brightly said when she released her hold. "My special friend." She tried to keep the smile on her face when her grandfather and her mother failed to look pleased to see Hardy. "Don't let the fact he is a policeman put you off," she added.

Wilf was the first to regain his manners. "Lovely to meet you, Alec." He held out a hand for Hardy to shake. "Do you mind if I take your friend and have a little man to man with him, Donna?"

Donna shared a puzzled glance with Hardy. "I suppose that's okay," she cagily answered. "Just don't scare him off."

Deeply intrigued, Hardy followed Wilf out into the garden, and into the small shed that sat in a corner, well away from the house. "Well?" he demanded once they were inside and the shed door was shut.

Wilf immediately launched into his speech. "Doctor, you have got to get out of here, right now. I know you mean well by coming back and keeping an eye on her but…"

Hardy held up his hand in order to halt Wilf's words. "I have already stated that I am DI Alec Hardy. Who is this Doctor both you and your daughter keep going on about?"

"Don't be daft; you're the Doctor. Of course you're… You mean you ain't him? But you're the spit… if you take away the fuzz." Wilf almost whispered. "You ain't come back to fix our Donna?"

"No," Hardy wearily replied. "Why would she need the help of a doctor? She seems fine to me."

There was a nervous gulp as Wilf simply said, "Her head."

"Do you mean the headaches?" Hardy tried to clarify. "She's already told me about them. This doctor… did Donna call him Spaceman?"

"Yes, she did."

"Why?" Hardy asked.

Wilf made an educated guess. "Cos he lived for the stars."

Why couldn't he get more of a proper answer? Hardy tried again. "How close were they?"

"Well… they travelled about together for a good year, perhaps more. I dunno," Wilf reluctantly explained.

"They travelled?!" Hardy had not expected that one. "How many people were in their group?"

"Just the two of them, going about in his T… special transport," Wilf blustered.

"Let me see if I've got this right," Hardy began. "Donna went out with this man for over a year, travelling with him, and sharing his bed?"

"Oh I don't know if they actually… you know… slept together; but I wouldn't be surprised if they had," Wilf admitted. "They were very good friends, and he was absolutely heartbroken when he brought her home. I'll never forget how he cried."

"That would have been…?"

Wilf's eyes turned even sadder. "That night with all the planets. She had a bad accident and lost a chunk of her memory. Last time I saw him, he was fatally injured. I really thought you were him for a second… Sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Hardy tried to make sense of all this in his mind. "They probably loved each, Donna has head trauma, he dies, and her mind blocks it all out to protect her."

"That's sort of it," Wilf agreed. "Except they did love each other; you could see it with the way they acted. When she came home for a visit, Donna said she was going to spend her whole life with him."

That hurt. But Hardy had to press on with this enquiry. "You said I look like him. Sylvia seemed very upset at the sight of me."

"You do. And don't mind Sylvia; she was angry that the Doctor took Donna away for so long, made her happy, and did all the things Sylvia could have never done. Jealousy does that to a person; it's destructive."

'Don't I know it,' thought Hardy. "Thank you for being so honest, Mr Mott."

"Call me 'Wilf'," he insisted. "And remember, whatever you do, do not bring up the Doctor with Donna. Her head can't take it."

"I promise," Hardy readily said, having already made that decision.

"In that case, I think we deserve some tea," Wilf changed the subject; and lead the way back into the house as Hardy contemplated this development with his and Donna's relationship.

* * *

Hardy stood in the shopping centre feeling more than a little out of place. He hadn't seen Donna much since their visit to her mother's and he felt that certain things between them needed resolving. Too many nights his thoughts had whirled around about this late boyfriend of hers that he evidently had more than a passing resemblance to. Thoughts like: was he merely second best in her heart? Had she chosen him unconsciously because he looked like this Spaceman, although Wilf had said his name was also 'the doctor' and John Smith? Not that knowing this had been helpful when he had investigated the death of anyone called Dr John Smith in a similar age range to himself. In fact it had been predominantly futile. The only person he knew that would have been able to dig up information was Donna, and she was out of this particular loop. How on earth did you compete with a ghost? No doubt this Doctor was now firmly lodged in her psyche as some sort of ideal man; and everybody knows that ideals can only remain as that and never become concrete. Should he even bother to try? At least he now knew what things to avoid doing or saying in order to save her from those blasted debilitating headaches. They'd totally ruined their last time together; and his exasperation hadn't been down to the fact they had not made love; not completely because of that, anyway. It was just that he couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain; it broke his heart to see her so out of sorts.

All of that was beside the point as he stood regarding the place Donna had pitched a small information booth. She'd arranged all this for his benefit, as their cover to catch a glimpse of his daughter, Bethany; and for that he could easily love her. But did it really have to be a shopping centre? He was constantly aware of eyes looking at them, and half expected someone he knew, or one of his wife's friends, to stroll up and demand what he was doing there; and that made him uneasy.

"Why did you choose here, precisely?" he whispered irritably.

Donna huffed a sigh as she sorted through her paperwork. "We've been through this. I can do some charity awareness work, be in a place that Bethany feels comfortable in, drag you along legitimately as part of your job description; and generally bring world peace! Does that answer your question?!"

"No need to climb out of your pram," he griped, and turned to hand out a leaflet to a passer-by. "It just seems convoluted."

"That's because it is," she emphasised. "It's taken a lot of planning to get you this far; so stop moaning! She'll be here soon with her mates, and I don't want to show her up."

True to her word, Bethany turned up, trailing her friend behind her; so Donna stood discretely back and made pleasant small talk with her whilst Hardy spent five minutes speaking to his daughter and gaining a much needed hug.

"That looked as though it went quite well," Donna remarked as Bethany walked away with her friend. "Did she say she would be coming back to talk to us?"

Hardy watched his daughter go with great reluctance, wanting to race after her and grab some more time in her presence. "She didn't say," he admitted forlornly.

"Oh Thomas," Donna crooned compassionately and threw her arms around him. "I'll get her back for you; I promise," she whispered into his ear.

He hugged her tight for a few moments, and released his clasp. "I think we've earned ourselves a tea break. What do you say?"

"Sounds like a winner to me," she answered as brightly as she could. "Now where do we go?"

They both looked around for any sign that directed them towards a food court, and made their way towards the nearest refreshments. High above where they had been handing out leaflets was the food court. They bickered for a bit about which take away they should get, and then settled on a filled jacket potato once Donna had pouted about going for a healthier option and Hardy had declined his original choice.

"It's not so bad here," she commented as she took in the general atmosphere of the place. Generally she wasn't keen on visiting these huge structures; it felt too exposed. But luckily nobody had recognised her so far beyond a couple of pensioners who had been entertaining to chat to.

Hardy had been sitting waiting patiently for her to finish eating. Why she took so long to finish something so simple was beyond him at times. "You've got a touch of…" He pointed at her face.

"What? What have I got?" she badgered him.

"Come here," he chided her, and picked up a paper serviette to dab at her mouth. "I don't know. I can't take you anywhere posh to eat," he pretended to gripe as he cleaned the offending coleslaw from her lip.

"Did you get it all?" she fretted. After all, it wouldn't do to stand in a public place looking like an idiot with food on her face.

"Let me make sure," he mischievously suggested, and flicked out his tongue to lick the spot where the coleslaw had been.

"Prawn!" she fondly chastised him. "You just used that as an excuse to kiss me."

"And what if I did?" he argued. "Can you blame me, when you wear lipstick that clearly demands 'kiss me'?"

"I suppose not," she agreed as she let him enter her personal space once more to press his lips onto hers, using a sultry look that should not have such an effect on her sensibilities.

Thank goodness it was a non-smudgeable lipstick too! Because the way he was kissing her would have had it smeared all over his face; and she was powerless to resist him. Well, she did, until she remembered they were sitting in such a public space; so she drew back. "We'd better go and do our final hour, then we can go somewhere else."

"Can't we go now?" he petulantly suggested.

"I booked you for the whole afternoon, DI Hardy, so I expect to get my full money's worth," she teased.

"What makes you think you paid? This is all a goodwill gesture; some lame arse interdepartmental initiative," he argued. "This could be classed as poor usage of public funded resources."

"You can always bugger off home, you know. I set all this up for your benefit," Donna huffed as she sat back and away from him.

"How about we go and have ourselves a little 'us' time on the back seat of the car?" He gazed hopefully at her. "We could drive to an excluded spot; I would remove your underwear and you'd tear off mine," he proposed in an ever deepening voice.

"We could, could we?" Donna wondered as he leaned nearer.

"Yes. You know how you _love_ to show me exactly the things you like done to your body," Hardy continued in a low whisper, reaching out to trail a fingertip suggestively across the back of her hand. "How you like to be rubbed just so when I place my lips on your gorgeous soft skin. Think of it, Donna. I could be making you all juicy and wet, and I'd be hard and ever so long…"

"Have you finished with that tray?" a brash female voice interrupted his seductive flow, and brought Donna out of her trance.

She looked up to see a cleaner edging closer to stand pointing at the tray of items siting on the table in front of them both.

Hardy was the first to recover. "We have, thank you," he told the woman; flashing her a grateful smile whilst feeling rather peeved his opportunity was slipping away. Pushing back his chair in order to stand up, he remarked to Donna, "Are you ready to go?"

She quickly agreed and grabbed her handbag to stand and join him, instantly taking his outstretched hand. "I'm not following you to the car, in case you think that's where we're going," she pointed out once they were out of earshot.

He grinned smugly back at her as they walked towards the escalator. "You haven't denied wanting to go and have each other on the back seat, I've noticed."

She deliberately narrowed her eyes at him, but pursed her lips to remain silent. The smug bastard! The smug, sexy bastard, she quickly mentally amended when his grin melted her resolve to stay angry. "Just do your job, Inspector Hardy. You're supposed to be liaising with the public."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" he cheekily pondered. "Then I'd liaise with you any day of the week."

Inevitably she swatted his arm, and then tried to resist the urge to giggle at his expression.

* * *

A short hour later their allotted time was up, and they started to consider heading for home.

"We didn't do too badly today," Hardy reasoned as he considered the few leaflets they had left in their possession; all the rest having been given out to passers-by.

"No, I think we did very well, and gained a lot of interest," Donna agreed as she turned to start dismantling their display. They had four panels mounted on stilts in a U shape to take down and put in the car.

Hardy loosely wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her into the corner of the enclosed display. "I think we might have earned ourselves a meal out somewhere on the way home. What do you say?" he asked as he briefly kissed her lips.

"I think that'd be a 'yes'," she eagerly replied as she threaded her arms around his neck, and just as briefly kissed him back.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" hissed an extremely angry voice.

They both turned to see Bethany glaring with abject horror at the scene in front of her. Her friend merely looked confused and disgusted.

It was with some haste and reluctance that they released their hold on each other and faced this latest development. "Sweetheart, I can explain…," Hardy started to say.

"How could you?!" Bethany spat out. She then turned her glare onto Donna. "You said you were just friends!"

Donna wanted to complain loudly that they'd just been practically sucking each other's face off an hour earlier, but one little kiss by their display board and Bethany was criticising them! Instead she insisted, "We _are_ friends; special friends who have come to mean more in the time we've known each other."

The contents of their phone call earlier in the week raced through Bethany's mind. "But you made it sound…"

Donna nodded. "I did, for your sake."

"Bethany, darling, we wanted to tell you after today. This thing between us is quite new, and you're old enough to understand this now. I just didn't want your mum spoiling our chance to talk," Hardy added.

Bethany looked even more confused. "Why would Mum spoil it?"

Hardy took control of the situation. "Let's take this conversation somewhere a little more private."


	7. The Seventh Cut Ends Things

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, OCs

**Summary:** In a sequel to The Sixth Cut Brings Joy, Donna manages to give her new friend everything he ever wanted.

**Disclaimer:** when they shared out the ownership honours I didn't get a look in.

**A/N:** numerous migraines halted me finishing this, otherwise it would have been posted long ago.

* * *

**The Seventh Cut Ends Things**

.

Hardy's offer to go somewhere more private seemed to stun Bethany into confused silence. "In that case, you can help me get all this into the car," Donna suggested as she tackled dismantling her display boards. She started handing items to Bethany and Chloe, her friend, before they could argue too much.

Hardy seemed amused by this, and quickly found the larger boards being pushed into his hands.

"Well don't stand there gawping! Get going" Donna ordered him, and strode off in the direction of the car. Bethany and Chloe followed obediently behind without a backward glance towards him.

In next to no time they were standing next to Donna's car she opened the boot and loaded in the display. "Where do you want us…?" Hardy began to ask her as he wondered why she was acting so annoyed with them all. No doubt he'd find out in time, he decided.

"Chloe, you sit in the front with me; Hardy in the back with your daughter," Donna commanded as she pointed to each door, and then climbed in to the driver's seat as she waited for them to get in. "How were you going to get home?" she asked Chloe.

"Oh! We erm… we were going to get the bus," Chloe shyly answered, suddenly surprised to find herself in the limelight after playing second fiddle to her friend.

Donna was closely watching Hardy and Bethany adjust themselves on the back seat via the rear-view mirror. "And then back to your house or Bethany's?"

"Mine; we're having tea at my house," Chloe replied. "Why?"

"Because that's where I'll take you," Donna informed her as she started up the car. "Is that okay with everyone?"

Bethany merely turned away to look out the window, leaving it to Hardy agree for them all. He then went silent, unsure what you say to an unresponsive adolescent that you don't want to upset.

"What if that's not what I want?" Bethany tersely asked after some seconds of staring at the outside landscape.

Donna briefly peered at her through the reflective glass, determined to be unfazed by the stroppy behaviour. "Then I stop the car and you can walk home from here. I'm still taking Chloe home, once she tells me exactly where she lives."

Chloe cast a cautious glance at Bethany and then gave Donna the information, who carried on driving. Obviously she didn't want to walk all the way home and dreaded Bethany forcing her into it.

"Why don't you tell me what you really want to say, Bethany," Donna suggested to the sulking teenager on her backseat.

"What good would it do? You'd only lie to me again." Bethany then pouted.

There was a gasp of exasperation. "I've had enough of this!" Donna remarked and pulled into the nearest layby. Having parked the car, she switched off the engine and turned to face Bethany. "I had my reasons for not confessing all. Why don't you try asking some questions about that or anything else that takes your fancy?"

"Alright!" Bethany huffed in return. "Why were you kissing my dad?"

"Because I wanted to. I actually like your dad, rather a lot, strangely enough." Donna glared back at her. "Next question."

It soon came. "Did you arrange today on purpose?"

"Of course I did!" Donna tried not to gripe. "I not only put myself out to contact your mum to get special permission, I had to deal with local bureaucracy, the bods that run the shopping centre, Wessex Police to allow me to kidnap your dad for the day, my charity offices, and the company that supplies those display boards."

"But why?" Bethany almost pleaded to know.

Ah, at last; a positive emotion to respond to. "I thought you and your dad deserved to get to know each other again after all you've been through," Donna honestly answered. "You need your dad. Believe this or not, but I actually like you, rather a lot too as it happens."

"Did Dad leave Mum for you? Is that really why he went?" Bethany blurted out; a trace of hurt in her voice.

"Now we get to a real question," Donna muttered. "Hardy, I think this is your one," she said more loudly.

"I didn't know Donna at all when I left. We didn't meet until recently," he began to explain. "I left because your mum doesn't love me anymore, and living in a loveless marriage is sheer hell. I never stopped loving you; and I know you were angry I left, but I wanted to save you from… all the arguments."

Bethany blinked back tears. "Mum said you made her hate you."

Donna reached out around her car seat and took Hardy's hand in consolation, knowing this was the hardest part for him as he negotiated this personal minefield. He gratefully squeezed back.

"Perhaps I did. It wasn't intentional. Walking away meant I lost my job, my reputation, my marriage, my home, but most of all I lost you," he told Bethany sincerely. "I have regretted that every single day."

"Then you didn't run off with someone?" Bethany tried to clarify.

"No," he stated. "All I did was take a job elsewhere."

"And the dying?" she asked in a small voice.

He sighed. "Just a technicality."

"No, Hardy! Tell her the truth," Donna insisted as she urged Chloe to take Bethany's hand after giving her a tissue to wipe away the tears.

At first he glared angrily back at Donna. "It was close," he admitted reluctantly. "I was talked into having the pacemaker fitted despite the odds of survival being low."

Tears dripped down the girl's face. "Oh Dad!" Bethany sobbed; and he quickly took her within his embrace.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm still here," he whispered into her hair.

That only made her wail more.

"Thank goodness for second chances," Donna remarked as she added in a caress to Bethany's cheek. She then forced her herself to look away from the scene and started up the car. She struck up some small talk with Chloe to break the silence as they drove along, and in next to no time they were pulling up outside her house.

Both girls thanked her politely for the ride.

"Can I phone you again?" she quietly asked Bethany as she climbed out of the car.

Bethany nodded her permission, obviously frightened to voice her answer.

"Bye darling. See you soon," Hardy told her as he kissed her cheek.

"Bye Dad," she brokenly replied, and followed Chloe indoors.

Donna and Hardy wrapped an arm around each other as they made sure the girls got in safely; and were about to get back in the car when an irate woman came running out of the house. Another woman stood nervously by the front door watching the scene.

"Who said you could bring them home?!" the first woman demanded to know.

"I made sure _our_ daughter and her friend returned safely," Hardy sternly replied.

"But did you have to bring _her_?" the woman continued to berate him.

Donna immediately greeted her with, "Hello, I'm Donna. I believe we've spoken on the phone." What a cheek ignoring her like that!

The woman seemed to rein in her rudeness at that point. "I do believe we have. I hadn't expected you to bring our Bethany back here."

"She was upset; it was the least I could do for the poor girl. She's had a lot to cope with lately," Donna explained.

The woman was obviously fighting with her anger. "What have you told her?!"

"I told her the truth about me. What you choose to tell her about you is completely your choice," Hardy replied. "But I will be using it as grounds for divorce."

Donna waited for him to walk around to the side of the car before she commented to his ex, "You really should tell her, you know; because if you don't, I will the next time she asks me." She turned to grab her door handle.

The woman leaned in close and spat at her, "You can't go around telling me what to tell my daughter! Just who do you think you are?!"

Donna smiled her sweetest smile as she surreptitiously spotted Bethany peeking anxiously out an upstairs window in the house. "I'm Donna Temple-Noble, trying to save another teenage runaway from happening," she confidently replied. "Bye then, until next time we pick Bethany up." She then opened her door and got in.

Hardy had climbed into the passenger seat next to Donna and flashed her a watery smile as he gripped her left hand tight. "Thanks," he murmured.

She smiled reassuringly back at him. "Let's get you home, Thomas. We have some more arranging of our own to do."

As she drove towards home the most wonderful, golden moment filled her mind and body, and she looked excitedly across at him. This was it; she knew deep within her that this was finally going to be it.

* * *

Hardy was naked as he crawled across the bedcovers towards an equally naked Donna, slowly taking his time as he carefully considered her. There was almost something emanating from her body, weaving a siren's song upon his senses, tickling his palate and caressing his body. Never had he felt so entranced by somebody; it was as if she had been forged from his very soul, for him and him alone.

She smiled at him, welcoming him and daring him to get closer. A warm sunny grin spread across his face as he realised this. Everything with her was a delicious dare somehow, and he wanted so much to take part and win.

"You look pleased to see me," she purred at him.

Not once had her gaze dipped down lower than his shoulders, but he knew she was referring to his obvious physical response to seeing her laid out on the duvet like a tasty meal. Merriment twinkled in his eyes. "As do you to see me," he countered. The faint blush upon her lips and cheeks told him that alone.

"I might be," she admitted, trying to sound vague; but her wandering hands reached out to caress his torso, smoothing their way over his skin.

Moving to hover over the bed with her below him, he momentarily closed his eyes in pleasure. Her touch was always so gentle, warm and inviting. "You only want me for my body," he pretended to complain.

"Yeah," she agreed as he bent low to capture her lips and kiss them sweetly. "What was I thinking?"

"No doubt how handsome and virile I am," he suggested as he kissed her again.

"Is that viral like the flu'?" she wondered.

He chuckled at the bad pun. "You could say that since I'm all over you like a rash…," he whispered as he eased himself down onto her and resumed their kiss.

She pressed him closer, longing to mesh their naked bodies as perfectly as their mouths locked together in their sensual dance. His tongue and lips flared her passion as open-mouthed kisses turned her into wantonness. A clear thought bubbled up from her unconsciousness, and she wanted to laugh with glee as it surfaced. The fact was… she loved him. And it hadn't taken a guide dog and white stick to find this out; merely the longed for press of his lips as he offered himself. Then along with the burst of joy came an unbidden sob.

"What is it, my love?" he immediately stopped to ask with such gentleness. "Tell me," he encouraged her, adding in a kiss to her fingertips when her hand came up wipe away a tear.

"I'm just being silly; take no notice," she tried to insist.

"Is it this whole business with Bethany? Don't let it get you down. We can get through it."

"It isn't that, honest it isn't," she said with a shake of her head. "I just want you to know that if we don't manage to have this baby, I'm not making do with you, not like I treated Shaun."

"Oh Donna!" he gasped out, overcome with emotion and not daring himself to speak. Instead he crushed his mouth down onto hers, hungrily expressing his love.

His hand trailed down to, and she squirmed with anticipation as his fingers played their own particular tune. The soft moans she let out complemented the song; until she could bear its sweetness no longer. "I want you," she gasped out.

It was exquisite, he thought, as he basked in her warmth. "Oh Donna!" he groaned out loudly as he did so. "You feel wonderful!"

Kissing became secondary to this wonderful feeling; this need to stamp him as hers. "Yes!"

"Love you…," he eventually forced out.

They shared several more kisses as their bodies calmed down, and then he rolled to her side. He blew out his cheeks. "That went well," he commented.

"Is that with or without the declaration?" she teased.

Oh! He hadn't, had he? "Did I say something?" he nonchalantly asked.

She smirked at his attempted cover up. "Just carry on telling yourself that, Thomas."

To avoid any further queries, Hardy forced himself to get up off the bed. "I'll go and wash," he informed her.

She laughed as she followed him into the bathroom. Men, eh? They never change.

* * *

Hardy's soft velvety tones soothed her through the slightly open bathroom door as she anxiously clutched a small device in one hand and balanced herself over the toilet seat with the other.

"Go on, love. Pee on the stick. I'm here with you," he crooned from his position crouched and leaning against the door frame outside.

She sought reassurance from him. "You promise not to bugger off?"

"I promise. Now do it!" he urged. After some moments, he asked, "So… did you see EastEnders the other night?"

Donna immediately burst into giggles. "Don't you dare compare me to Bianca," she warned him.

"Nah! I'd never do that. She may be ginger, but you are far more beautiful," he complimented.

"I'm beautiful, am I?" Donna snorted in disbelief.

"It's a well-known fact," he insisted. "It said so in the Daily Telegraph the other day."

She still wasn't convinced. "You saw that piece, did you? I thought they did a good job with the charity."

"I was only looking for you. In fact I said to Miller…" His voice suddenly petered out.

"You, mentioning me to your Detective Sergeant! Whatever came over you?" she teased.

"Well… I…" He could feel the blush creep over his face. "I might have said…"

"Come on, out with it. What did you say?"

"Nothing beyond it was you," he admitted. Although he wasn't owning up to the knowing look Miller had given him as he evaded her questions either.

"You can come in now," she told him as she washed her hands and tried to sound confident.

He appeared like a shot. "Well?"

"Can you look because I can't"

"Donna!" he scolded her and shift closer. "What am I looking for again?"

"A little plus sign, you div," she grumbled as she accidentally glanced at the test stick. "Just like… that!"

"Like that?" he double checked.

She fervently nodded. "Exactly like that! Oh Thomas, we're having a baby!"

He had expected the screech, but he hadn't expected her to then immediately burst into tears as she stood with her hands clasped over her mouth to keep in the loud sobs. However, he did know to pull her into his tender embrace, and shush her with loving noises as he stroked her hair. "Poor little sod with us for parents," he commiserated.

Inevitably she swatted at his arm. "We'll be brilliant parents."

"Too right we will," he agreed. "Donna," he started to say as he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingertips, "don't you think it's time you let me make an honest woman of you? Marry me."

"I don't…"

He growled in anger. "I'm not giving you the choice; you will marry me."

"But what about Bethany and your wife?" she countered.

"Bethany will come round, and as for her… why should I care about her feelings? She made it very clear she hates me, and I have grounds for a divorce. So problem solved!"

She added, "And your career?"

"No problem," he trilled. "I'll be sponging off you for the rest of my life."

Inevitably she hit him again. And then gleefully snogged him for all that she was worth. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked in return. "We go and look at cots."

* * *

**A/N2:** as before, the unedited adult version can be found on **AO3.**


	8. The Last Cut Ends Everything

**Characters:** Donna/Alec Hardy, Eleven, OCs

**Summary:** the Doctor gains a sighting of Donna and the new man in her life.

**Disclaimer:** Amazon was out of stock with this item, so I suppose I still don't own them.

**A/N:** I was asked about the Doctor finding out, so here is that bit, at long last. I hope you enjoyed this saga.

* * *

**The Last Cut Ends Everything**

**- The Broadchurch Epilogue**

.

The Doctor was feeling quite satisfied with himself. He had just dealt with the tricky business of reinstating the Ormshard Laws on Betamix III, had made a pretty good job of it too, if he didn't say so himself; and thought he would treat himself to a little walk in the sunshine on his favourite planet. He might even pop in and see the Ponds while he was at it if the mood took him in that sort of direction.

Stepping out of the TARDIS, he adjusted his bow tie and found that he was somewhere completely different to the road where the Pond house resided. There were similarities in appearance, but there was no doubt he was in a salubrious part of London as he peered at the Georgian buildings and the car number plates. That was before you took into account the possible year, the types of the vehicles and their probable worth.

He strolled along the edge of a fenced green area of Caldecott Square with prettily adorned railings. The Doctor hadn't been taking in the scene before him for more than three minutes when something ahead caught his attention.

A London black cab swung into a clear space in front of him and a woman gracefully stepped out. It was an extremely familiar head of ginger hair that appeared as she paid the taxi driver without even looking in his direction where he stood observing her with interest. As she finally stood up to consider her surroundings all his assumptions were confirmed. Standing mere feet away was his former best friend Donna Noble, dressed up to the nines; not that anyone had been awarded that title properly since.

As her gaze swept around the Square, obviously looking for something or someone in particular, she caught sight of him and smiled politely. Then her expression changed to one of puzzlement and then possible recognition. She took two steps forward and then halted hesitantly before she opened her mouth to speak. "Excuse me, but don't I know you from somewhere?"

The man standing attentively before her did indeed have a familiar quality about him. He was easily fifteen years younger than her, with floppy hair that half covered gentle, sensitive eyes within an intelligent face. His sense of style was unusual, if not slightly eccentric; but it was not unattractive. But it had been the longing quality of his expression that had caught her attention; as if she would provide the answers to all the questions he was looking for.

The gentle breeze picked up and he was showered by her scent. It brought with it numerous memories of their friendship, of times they had shared together, and it also brought an added ingredient of him. Somewhere within her was still that tiny element that he had left behind.

"I don't think so, but you do look familiar," he allowed himself to admit.

"Perhaps we worked together for a while," she suggested as she pondered the tantalising aura around him.

He smiled in remembrance. "Yes, I think we possibly did." There was a moment when he wanted to add more, but he managed to stop himself from doing so. He diverted himself into asking, "So what are you doing these days? Do you live around here?"

She scoffed. "No, we're visiting family. My daughter… well, stepdaughter, actually… lives in student digs across the road, just over there." She pointed towards a building that blended in with all the other four storey ones. "She wanted us to come approve her latest housemates, I think," she said with a chuckle. "That, and come spoil her rotten."

"A student, eh?" he pondered with interest. "What is she studying?"

"Criminology," she stated proudly. "Ooh, there they are!" she exclaimed as an expensive black car pulled up and was manoeuvred to park. "It was lovely to see you again. Give my love to…," she threw over her shoulder as she rushed over to greet the car. "Hello, my darlings! That was good timing! I've not been waiting long," she told the driver of the car as she opened the rear passenger door and leaned in.

"I told you we'd make it on time. I don't know why you fuss so," came the muffled voice of the driver.

Hearing him, the Doctor couldn't help but deny that this could be so. No, it was impossible.

By this point, Donna was bending down to retrieve something from the backseat of the car. It was one of those large and shiny new German made things, he noted idly as he pretended he wasn't deliberately creeping nearer to get a better look.

"No, you are to do as you are told!" she was scolding someone. When she stood up, she added, "Don't run off exploring."

As she spoke the words a small boy climbed out of the car and stood obediently on the pavement. He was dressed immaculately in a navy suit with a matching tie. His hair colouring wasn't ginger but the nearest brown hair could get to it, the Doctor observed and he found himself drawn in by this tableau.

Then to his surprise, they were joined by a second child appearing; no more than a toddler, dressed in identical colours and bouncing with energy. She looked adorable in her frilly party frock, white ankle socks and patent shoes as she tried to gracefully clamber out of the car; rejecting all attempts to help.

"Mummy, I promise to be good!" the boy eagerly declared; gaining a fond smile from Donna.

"I know you will." She told of a hand from each child and told them, "If you don't, Daddy will be very cross; and you won't like that!"

'Daddy?' the Doctor wondered. Who had she found to be a father to these children? They obviously were not the offspring of Shaun Temple.

The driver's door on the other side of the car slammed shut; and there stood a man that took the Doctor's breath away for a second. It was him! But it couldn't be him; he'd have remembered this. He would have definitely remembered if such a thing had happened with Donna Noble!

And then the differences in this other, former but not quite him started to appear in his mind. This new man didn't seem to like shaving very much or he had followed some fashion for designer stubble; much to the Doctor's disgust. He smelt differently too. But the most telling difference was when he opened his mouth.

"Do we have everything?" the man asked Donna in a clear Scottish accent, albeit an accent that was heavily influenced by probably living in England for far too long.

"I shall need the gift bag from the boot. We can come back later for the changing stuff," she replied; and the man immediately opened it and brought out a large, colourful receptacle with a matching balloon and ribbon tied to it.

"Can I hold it, Daddy?" the boy pleaded as the man closed the boot and turned to meet his family on the pavement.

"Be careful with it; it might be heavy," he warned as he handed it over, and the small boy glowed with pride.

To the Doctor's consternation, the family then headed straight for him and would have to pass him on the narrow footpath. He politely stood aside to let them pass.

"Thank you," Donna automatically responded; and then she stopped to speak to him. "And I'm really sorry that I didn't remember you properly," she apologetically stated as she studied him.

"I don't think…," he began to reply.

"Darling, you are doing it again," Hardy gently taunted her. "Are you trying to make me jealous by picking up strange men?"

She inevitably snorted her scorn. "As if! I've got enough to put up with you."

That made the Doctor smile; but it was wiped off his face when the man also stopped to let her walk on; and hastily whispered, "Thank you for giving me her. I didn't believe you when you talked me into having the op, but I've been grateful for every day."

That immediately gave the Doctor food for thought about what he might be doing in his own timeline very soon.

"Oi! Hardy! Are you coming or what?!" Donna yelled out indignantly.

The man rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "Another choice for me, I see," he provoked her as he sprinted the small distance along the pavement.

There was an answering huff and then they carried on walking. They stopped at the bottom of some steps that led up into one of the houses flanking the square. She let go of the children's hands to let the man scoop up the baby and supervise the boy as he tried to race up to the front door. It was flung open and a young woman peered out, her expression full of delight as she spied her favourite people running to greet her.

"Happy birthday, Bethany!" they yelled out as soon as they spotted her standing there.

"Hello!" she gleefully greeted them, and managed to sweep the boy up into her arms. "You look very handsome today."

"We come to your twenny bird day," the boy declared as he placed a huge wet kiss on her cheek.

"He means twentieth birthday," Hardy corrected as he reached the top of the steps and then kissed her cheek in greeting too. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Thanks Dad." She smiled grateful back at him and kissed the baby before returning her attention to the boy. "What's in the bag? Is it for me?" She then thought to add, "And where's Donna?"

"Don't worry about me, love," Donna grouched as she made her way up slowly to join them, and then she too kissed the young woman's cheek. "Your dad is such a gentleman for waiting for me."

Hardy reached out to take possessive hold of her hand. "As if you expect special treatment," he teased.

The Doctor was pleased to see the man briefly kiss Donna's lips, as if apologising, and he then gave her stomach a faint rub.

Well, well, well, the Doctor thought. Donna Noble got the family she wanted _and _she got to spend the rest of her life with him… in a very roundabout way. He couldn't have been more pleased for her in that moment. The universe had made things right for her after all.

~0~0~

* * *

**_Five years earlier…and a day later_**

It was immediately obvious that he had stepped out into a hospital in the early twentieth century. Ah, the Doctor reasoned, the TARDIS had brought him here to fulfil a promise.

As expected, he soon found himself outside the door to a private room holding a single occupant. It was a man rigged up to an oxygen machine and an IV drip. Against his extremely pale complexion his dark stubble showed up; as did his slightly ginger-tinged hair. The Doctor grinned; he had the right room holding the right man.

Cautiously, he neared the bed and peered down at the prone man. "Hello," the Doctor cheerily greeted him.

The man instantly opened his eyes in scorn. "Not another bloody junior doctor! Can't they send me a proper qualified one?" he grouched.

"Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, I am indeed a doctor, but not merely a junior doctor. In fact I am THE Doctor," he declared, and waiting for some recognition.

He didn't get it.

Instead Hardy rolled his eyes in exasperation. "And what do you have to tell me, THE Doctor? I already know I might not survive the surgery, so you can forget coming in here to use me as a bloody guinea pig."

"Fine words, Inspector," the Doctor responded, unfazed by Hardy's words. "And I have come in here to talk to you; to tell you, you are wrong."

Hardy glared back at him. "What do you mean I'm wrong?"

"May I?" the Doctor asked as he grabbed a chair and sat himself down by Hardy's bedside. "I know you are wrong because you think you have nothing left to live for; but I assure you that within a short time of having your pacemaker installed you will meet a special woman. A meeting you will never regret."

"Out!" Hardy demanded. "I don't need some psychic to come in here and give me a load of drivel; so take yourself elsewhere!"

"Come come, Inspector," the Doctor said in very friendly tones. "I may be many things, but I am not a psychic. Dread the thought! No, I'm a time traveller."

Hardy groaned in suppressed anger. "A time traveller, eh? Well you can time travel yourself away from me!"

"Alec; may I call you Alec? Doesn't matter, I'm going to tell you anyway. I've just come from meeting you as your daughter Bethany celebrates her twentieth birthday with her family. I was drawn to the scene because… well, I was checking up on my best friend, if you must know."

Was this man completely or utterly mad? Hardy was desperately trying to decide. "So you found out my daughter's name. What do you want from me?"

"My friend; I want you to cherish my old best friend. I couldn't give her the life she deserved, but you can. And the only way you can do that is by having this pacemaker fitted," the Doctor explained.

"And if I say 'yes' you'll bugger off and leave me alone?" Hardy tried to clarify.

"Most definitely," the Doctor assured him. "Nice grapes," he commented as he stole a grape from Hardy's bedside cabinet and popped it into his mouth.

The cheek of the man! Hardy was astounded by his uninvited visitor, but there was something about him that rung true for some reason. He was brought out of his thoughts by this man, the Doctor, speaking again.

"So… what's it to be?" The Doctor then looked expectantly at him as he took another grape.

"Alright, I'll have the bloody pacemaker," Hardy told him with a sigh. What did it matter? He was going to die anyway, and this loony would now leave him alone to die in peace.

"You won't regret this," the Doctor gleefully responded and leapt up out of his seat. "I'll go notify the nurse and then I'll be off. Have to deal with a misaligned promographer."

"A what?" Hardy wondered, clearly puzzled.

But the Doctor had practically danced out of the room and was causing a stir down by the nursing station by the sound of it.

* * *

Hardy laid back in his bed waiting for what he felt was the inevitable; but his thoughts were stirring. It would be nice to meet a special woman. How would he know when he met her? If he met her, he quickly amended. It was a nice thought though, that there was some woman waiting for him to turn up in her life.

As he fell asleep his dreams were full of a woman with fiery hair; and that was only the start of her brilliance.

**The End**


End file.
